Autoimmune Diseases: Types, Functions, Causes, and Available Tests

by Martin Gray Content Writer

Autoimmune diseases are those that attack healthy cells in the body by mistake. There are more than 100 types of autoimmune diseases. For this reason, their diagnosis can be difficult. The most common are:

• Inflammatory bowel disease, where we find Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These diseases are related to a microbe that activates the defenses causing inflammation.
• Type I diabetes; the host defenses attack the pancreas cells responsible for producing insulin (necessary for the body to use the glucose that the body receives). It usually appears in childhood or youth.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: a disease in which the joints are affected in the elderly.
• Celiac disease, in which the small intestine is affected. The person who suffers from it reacts to gluten by incurring damage to the lining of the intestine.
• Lupus: can affect any organ, but the most common is the skin and joints.
• Others less frequently such as some thyroid disorders, pernicious anemia, Addison's disease or vitiligo.
  
  

Prognosis of the disease

Although autoimmune diseases are chronic, the autoimmune process can usually be modulated and even slowed down, avoiding continuous interaction between genes and the environment.

Symptoms of autoimmune diseases

The main symptoms are usually inflammation (which can cause redness, warmth, pain, and swelling), fatigue, muscle aches, and fever.

Depending on the disease that occurs, the symptoms that it manifests are:

• Inflammatory bowel disease: there is usually abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea.
• Type I diabetes: elevated blood glucose can lead to kidney damage and infections.
• Rheumatoid arthritis; its main symptoms are joint pain, stiffness and fatigue. Also, the joints can be hot and painful. The most affected areas are the wrists, knees, fingers, and ankles.
• Celiac disease: manifests with abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, weight loss and fatigue.
• Lupus: can be challenging to diagnose because it manifests itself in the form of flare-ups. Its symptoms will depend on each case, but rash, muscle and joint pain and hair loss are the main ones. Also, there is usually atypical coloration on the face, especially on the nose and cheeks.
  
  

Medical tests for autoimmune diseases

The first step in detecting an autoimmune disease is to take a complete medical history that includes family history, lifestyle habits, prescription drugs, and symptoms. From there, depending on the autoimmune disease detected or suspected, some tests or others will be carried out:

• Inflammatory bowel disease: may require blood and stool tests, endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, ultrasound, radiological tests.
• Type I diabetes; The glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) test, a random blood sugar test, or a fasting blood sugar test are usually performed for diagnosis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis; a blood test and X-ray examination of the most affected skeletal segments are performed.
• Celiac disease: to diagnose this pathology, four tests are typically performed: serology, genetic tests, duodenal biopsy and a gluten-free diet.
• Lupus: The diagnosis of lupus is often tricky. To determine this, specialists are based on the presence of several criteria that must be met simultaneously, such as malar rash, arthritis, blood or neurological disorders, mouth ulcers or serositis, among others.
  
  

What are the causes of autoimmune diseases?

The causes of autoimmune diseases are not known, although they tend to run in families. Besides, some viruses, bacteria and drugs may cause specific alterations that cause their appearance.

African American, Hispanic American, and North American Indian women are at higher risk of suffering them.

Can it be prevented?

For now, there is no known way to prevent autoimmune diseases.

Treatments for autoimmune diseases

Different treatments are depending on the autoimmune disease to be treated:

• Inflammatory bowel disease: new biologic therapies, medication and diet.
• Type I diabetes; insulin must be given daily for life.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: new biologic therapies.
• Celiac disease: gluten should be removed from the diet.
• Lupus: taking medications to reduce inflammation and pain.

Treatments for autoimmune diseases are possible primarily due to the progress made on the research end. National Institute of Health (NIH) is highly credited with research and investigations which have led to massive progress in healthcare. Paul E. Love is one the well celebrated investigators at the heart of NIH, whose expertise and experience in the field of immunology has led to significant findings.

Love is also well credited with developing methods and generating key insights which have directly helped in developing specific treatments for autoimmune diseases.

What specialist treats it?

The specialist in treating an autoimmune disease will depend on the type, including interns, immunologists, dermatologists, and rheumatologists.

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Created on Mar 10th 2021 12:21. Viewed 304 times.

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