Autoimmune disorders

Definition

An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders.

See also: Immune response

Causes

Normally the immune system's army of white blood cells helps protect the body from harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, and foreign blood or tissues from another person or species. The immune system produces antibodies that destroy these harmful substances.

But in patients with an autoimmune disorder, the immune system can't tell the difference between healthy body tissue and antigens. The result is an immune response that destroys normal body tissues. The response is a hypersensitivity reaction similar to allergies, where the immune system reacts to a substance that it normally would ignore. In allergies, the immune system reacts to an external substance that would normally be harmless. With autoimmune disorders, the immune system reacts to normal body tissues.

What causes the immune system to no longer distinguish between healthy body tissues and antigens is unknown. One theory holds that various microorganisms and drugs may trigger some of these changes, particularly in persons who are genetically prone to autoimmune disorders.

An autoimmune disorder may result in:

• The destruction of one or more types of body tissue
• Abnormal growth of an organ
• Changes in organ function

An autoimmune disorder may affect one or more organ or tissue types. Organs and tissues commonly affected by autoimmune disorders include:

• Red blood cells
• Blood vessels
• Connective tissues
• Endocrine glands such as the thyroid or pancreas
• Muscles
• Joints
• Skin

A person may have more than one autoimmune disorder at the same time. Examples of autoimmune (or autoimmune-related) disorders include:

• Hashimoto's thyroiditis
• Pernicious anemia
• Addison's disease
• Type I diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Dermatomyositis
• Sjogren syndrome
• Lupus erythematosus
• Multiple sclerosis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Reactive arthritis
• Grave's disease
• Celiac disease - sprue