AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AN OVERVIEW

We know that our immune system protects us from various disease-causing pathogens and fights them off, but what if our immune system can't differentiate between its own cells and pathogenic cells? This type of disorder is known as autoimmune disease, in this disease, our body's defense system fails to find the difference between our own cells and foreign harmful cells and mistakenly attacks our normal body cells. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases but the most common among them include:

 

v Rheumatoid arthritis – it is a chronic inflammatory disorder that mainly attacks our body joints including hand and leg joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, our immune system attacks our own tissues and joints[Chauhan et al., 2022].

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arthritic_hands_in_pain.jpg

Symptoms

·      It affects joint lining.

·      Causes joint swelling and pain.

·      Over time it can cause bone erosion.

·      It also can cause joint deformity.

 

Treatment

Although there is still no cure for rheumatoid arthritis physiotherapy and medication can help a bit in the slow progression of the disease. Moreover,

·      Using hot water bags on the joints can also help in relieving pain.

· Medications like anti-rheumatic drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and immunosuppressive drugs also can be used.

·      Therapies like stretching and physical therapy can be useful.

·      Medical procedures like arthrocentesis where a syringe is used to collect fluid from the swelled joint can also be used.

·      Surgery like arthroplasty - a surgery to replace or repair a joint.

·  Joint replacement removal of a defective or damaged joint and replacing new and functioning one in its place.

 

v Lupus – It is also known as SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) it is one kind of inflammatory disease caused by our immune system by attacking its own tissues SLE can affect our body joints, brain, heart, lungs, skin, blood cells, and our kidneys [Vaillant et al., 2022].

Symptoms 

It requires medical diagnosis to determine this disease but there are several symptoms like –

·      Muscle pain.

·      Sharp pain in the chest area.

·      Pain while breathing anemia fatigue or fever.

·      Hair loss.

·      Red rashes or scaly rashes on the skin.

·      Dry mouth or mouth ulcers.

·      Anxiety depression joint stiffness and swelling.

·      Blood in the urine.

·      Weight loss.

Treatment

There is no cure for lupus but few treatments can improve our life by minimizing or controlling the symptoms, such as-

·      Using medications like immunosuppressive drugs and steroids.

·      Self-care like sun blocks and sun protective clothing to reduce UV rays that can damage the skin by exercising regularly.

 

v   Celiac disease – It is one kind of immune reaction to eating gluten protein found in barley, rye, and wheat. Over time this reaction causes inflammation and damages the lining of the small intestine and also prevents the absorption of several nutrients [Posner & Patel, 2022].

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inflammed_mucous_layer_of_the_intestinal_villi_depicting_Celiac_disease.jpg

 

Symptoms– It requires a medical diagnosis to determine. These symptoms of this disease are-

·     The most common symptom is diarrhea.

·      Anemia (low blood count).

·      Osteoporosis.

·      Pain in abdomen and joints.

·      Malnutrition.

·      Weight loss.

·      Slow growth etc.

Treatment

·      Strictly eliminate gluten-containing grains like wheat barley, Rye, etc. from the diet.

·      Take medications like dietary supplements to promote health and vitamins for normal growth and function.

 

v   Sjögren's syndrome – It is an immune system disorder in which the body's immune system destroys its own healthy saliva and tear-producing cells and because of this the patient's eyes and mouth get dry[Carsons & Patel,2022].

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sjogrens_Syndrome.jpg

Symptoms

It requires a medical diagnosis to determine it. Symptoms are-

·      the main symptoms are dry mouth and dry eyes.

·      loss of taste or abnormality of taste.

·     dental cavities and ulcers in the mouth.

Treatment-

·  Artificial Tear can be used which moistens the eyes and provides soothing relief.

·    Immunosuppressive drugs can be used to reduce immune response.

· Medications like steroids saliva production stimulators and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be used.

v  Multiple sclerosis – In this disease immune system destroyed its own body's protective covering of nerves. This causes nerve cell damage, thus communication between the brain and body is disrupted [Tafti et al., 2022].

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Multiple_Sclerosis.jpg

Symptoms -

It is a very rare disease less than 1 million cases are found in India in 1 year. A medical diagnosis is required to determine this disease. Symptoms are -

·      Vision loss.

·      Pain-impaired coordination.

·      Pain in eyes.

·      Muscular crimping.

·      Difficulty while walking.

·      Dizziness full body fatigue muscle paralysis or rigidity.

· Reduction of sense of touch overactive reflexes coordination problems etc.

Treatment -

Medication and physiotherapy can suppress the activity of the immune system which can help with the symptoms and slow down the disease progression.

·      Medications like - Anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressive drugs, and steroids can be used.

·      Therapies like-

     i.          Acupuncture - in this process needles are inserted into specific parts of the body to relieve pain.

   ii.          Physical therapy- exercises used to restore muscle strength and function.

v Type 1 diabetes – It is a chronic disease in which the pancreas fails to produce insulin or produces a very little amount of insulin this disease typically appears in adolescence [Lucier & Weinstock, 2022].

Symptoms-

It requires a medical diagnosis to determine this disease. Symptoms are-

·      Frequent urination or excessive urination.

·      Increase in thirst.

·      Weight loss.

·      Frequent infections.

·      Whole body fatigue.

Treatment-

Treatment is mainly aimed at-

·      Maintaining normal blood sugar levels.

·      Maintaining a diabetic diet.

·      Doing regular physical exercises.

·      Medications like insulin injection and dietary supplements.

 

v   Polymyalgia rheumatic – It is an inflammatory disorder this causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders and hips [Acharya & Musa,2022].

Symptoms-

·      Aching in shoulders and Neck region.

·      Stiffness in joints and fatigue.

Treatment

·      Consumption of low doses of an oral corticosteroid.

·      Medications like steroids can also be taken.

 

v   Ankylosing spondylitis – It is inflammatory arthritis. It affects the spine and large body joints it is more common in men [Wenker & Quint,2022].

Symptoms-

Requires medical diagnosis to determine this disease. Symptoms are-·      Pain in the ankle, hip, heel, lower back, neck, shoulder, etc.

·      Inflammation in the middle layer of eyes or redness in the eyes.

·      Physical deformity, sleep disorder, and inflamed tendons can be seen.

Treatment-

·      Physical exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes every day can be useful.

·  Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressive drugs can also be taken.

·    Stretching exercises and physical therapy can be practiced to improve muscle flexibility and muscle strength.

How to check if a person has an autoimmune disease?

To diagnose autoimmune disease, different clinical assessment, and laboratory testing is required, among them the antinuclear antibody (ANA), Immuno-fluorescence assay (IFA) are first-line screening tests for patients who have symptoms of autoimmune disease. It is a gold standard test (most accurate test) because it is highly sensitive and accurate. If the ANA test result is negative then the patient does not have an autoimmune disease, but if the result is positive then the patient is most likely to have an autoimmune disease.

Why do autoimmune diseases occur?

Autoimmune diseases occur because our body's defense system fails to differentiate between its own cells and foreign cells; as a result our immune system mistakenly attacks its own normal cells and causes the breakdown of immunologic tolerance to auto-reactive immune cells.

Is it genetic?

Genes Plays important role in AID development, but there are Several Other environmental factors and immune system changes that are responsible for AID,

When a person who has a genetic Predisposition (which means having higher chances of getting an AID, due to family history also known as genetic Susceptibility) faces Certain environmental, factors, then It Can Cause an AID.

 

AID may be triggered in People who have genetic changes by various factors like -

1. Exposure to toxic Chemicals

2. Infections

3. Medications

4. Diet

5. Stress

Is there any particular gene that causes AID?

No, a single gene is not responsible for AID. However, there are molecules known as Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Plays a very important role in many AID conditions. The MHC molecules Carry instructions for the production of several Immune cells and molecules. The MHC molecules are clearly associated with Certain AID Conditions like Type-1 diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

What other environmental factors can trigger an AID?

Genes alone don't cause AIDs, several Other external risk factors Cana  Cause AID in people who have a genetic predisposition.

A. Environmental toxins- environmental toxins can trigger AID. Examples are-

1.   Cigarette Smoke.

2.   Pesticides.

3.   UV light.

4.   Heavy metals.

5.   Silicone breast implants.

B. Infections-Infections Sometimes triggers AID. Such as –

1.   Covid-19.

2.   E.Coli infection.

3.   Cytomegalovirus infection.

4.   Scarlet fever.

5.   Strep throat.

C. Dietary factors- Our dietary habit also plays an important role in triggering AID. There are several AIDs like Type I diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Celiac disease that can be caused due to dietary habits.

Who has a higher risk of getting AIDs?

According to researchers, there are a few reasons which explain whether a person has the risk of getting attacked by AIDs or not. Such as-

1.  AID often runs in families – If your family members have an AID then you have a high risk of having one, and that also increases the risk of getting others AIDs also. Researches show that genes play a big role in AID and that is why if you have an AID in your family there is most likely to have one.

2.  AID often affects Specific groups of People – Some groups of People are more likely to develop an AID. For example, women have a higher risk of having AID than men.

3. People with Certain genetic mutations – Certain genes are associated with AID, like HLA genes in human regulates the immune system and have the ability to trigger AIDS.

How to protect myself from AID if I am at risk?

Here are a few steps that can help us to protect ourselves from AIDs- 

    I.  Avoid Smoking- AID can be triggered by smoking so, People who have a higher risk for AID should avoid smoking.

  II.   Keep a healthy weight- Obesity is one of the important factors of AID, Especially in people with a genetic predisposition.

III. Maintain a balanced diet- Maintaining a healthy diet can Control AID. AIDs like type-1-diabetes, RA, and Celiac disease can be controlled by maintaining a proper diet.

IV.   Decrease your Stress- stress can trigger AIDs, so, staying Stress-free can help in Controlling AID.

Conclusion-

There are a lot of things that we don't know and are yet to be discovered about AIDs, so, living Carefully and following a few rules people with AID can Suppress the Symptoms of and normal life AIDs and can live a healthy and normal life with it.

 

REFERENCE:-

 

1.         Chauhan K, Jandu JS, Goyal A, et al. Rheumatoid Arthritis. [Updated 2022 Jun 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): Stat Pearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441999/

2.         Justiz Vaillant AA, Goyal A, Varacallo M. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. [Updated 2022 Jul 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535405/

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