How Autoimmune Diseases Sabotage the Body's Own Defenses
Many people are talking about a sickness called lupus, and awareness of other autoimmune diseases is on the rise. Autoimmune diseases affect the immune system the bodys natural defense for fighting disease. The immune system normally protects the body against foreign materials, such as viruses and bacteria. Autoimmune diseases result from a failure of the bodys own defenses against disease. The immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign materials and its own cells. As a result, the body starts attacking its own organs and tissues. There are three kinds of lupus. Discoid lupus, which affects only the skin, can be identified by red marks on the face or neck. owever, these marks on the skin can also be a sign of another form of lupus called systemic lupus. !ystemic lupus can affect almost any organ or organ system in the body. "hen people talk about lupus, they usually mean the systemic form of the disease. A third kind of lupus is a side effect of certain medications. Drug#induced lupus usually goes away when a patient stops taking medicine. igh body temperature and pain in the elbows or knees are common signs of lupus. $ther signs are red marks on the skin, feelings of e%treme tiredness and lack of iron in the body. At different times, the effects of lupus can be either mild or serious. The signs of the disease can come and go. This makes identifying the disease difficult. There is no laboratory test to tell if someone has lupus. Many people with lupus also suffer from depression. &upus can also lead to other health problems. "omen with lupus are at greater risk of developing heart disease. 'etween thirty and fifty percent of lupus patients will develop lupus#related kidney disease, known as lupus nephritis. There is currently no cure for lupus. Doctors have developed ways of treating the disease based on the uni(ue needs of each patient. A treatment could include a combination of stress#reduction methods and drugs such as painkillers, steroids and anti#malaria drugs. !upervised e%ercise training can also improve the (uality of life for lupus patients. )t has been four decades since the *nited !tates +ood and Drug Administration approved a drug especially for treating lupus. $rgani,ations like the &upus +oundation of America are working to increase public understanding of the disease. -arly recognition of lupus and treatment can often prevent serious health problems. &upus can be life#threatening if left untreated. .et, many patients can lead a normal and healthy life if they follow their doctors advice. The hands of a lupus patient 1 -%perts are not sure what causes most attacks of lupus. +or systemic lupus, genetics or environmental influences seem to be involved. &upus has been known to attack members of the same family. owever, the genes responsible have yet to be identified. Many scientists believe infections may cause lupus. !o can e%treme bodily or mental tension, commonly known as stress. Two other suspected causes are antibiotic drugs and hormones produced by the body. )n fact, hormones might e%plain why lupus affects women far more often then men. The &upus +oundation of America says ninety percent of the people with lupus are women. owever, persons of African American, American )ndian or Asian ancestry become infected more often than white women. !cientists do not know why women are more at risk than men. They think it might have to do with female hormones like estrogen. Another idea is that it could involve the foreign cells left in a womans body after a pregnancy. &upus is not the only autoimmune disease. At least eighty other such diseases have been identified in which the body attacks its own organs and cells. !ome of these diseases attack /ust one area of the body, like the skin, eyes or muscles, while others affect an organ system or even the whole body. The *nited !tates 0ational )nstitutes of ealth says autoimmune diseases currently affect an estimated five to eight percent of the countrys population. That represents between fourteen million and twenty#two million Americans. The physical, emotional and financial cost of autoimmune diseases is huge. Most of those affected are women. "hile people of all ages are affected, women who are old enough to have children are especially at risk. !ome autoimmune diseases, like lupus and scleroderma, are more common in African Americans. Diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type#one diabetes are more common among whites. 0ew drugs are being tested to help treat autoimmune diseases. !ome drugs can be a problem because they suppress the immune system. This means the body is less able to defend itself against infections. As a result, the side effects of the drugs can be as dangerous as the disease itself. 0ewer drugs attempt to suppress only one small part of the immune system, not all of it. +or e%ample, drugs like -nbrel and 1emicade block tumor necrosis factor. This is a protein that causes inflammation, a physical reaction to infection, in/ury or other causes. These drugs have been useful in treating autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and 2rohns disease. owever, the drugs are very costly. The drugs have also been found to increase the risk of cancer. 2 !cientists continue searching for other methods of treatment. Theoretically, stem cells could be used to replace tissues damaged by disease. !tem cells have the ability to grow other cells, such as heart, nerve or brain cells. Medical e%perts also are working together to improve the way autoimmune diseases are identified and treated. The 3ohns opkins ospital in the *!A brings together e%perts to improve the study of autoimmune diseases. 4overnment agencies also are working to increase knowledge about these diseases. The *nited !tates 0ational )nstitutes of ealth created an autoimmune disease research plan three years ago. 'oth private and government organi,ations are working to increase public understanding of lupus and other autoimmune diseases. This can help individuals better understand what to do should they develop a health problem. At the same time, medical researchers continue working to help patients have a better (uality of life. "ords5 67668 +lesch#9incaid 4rade &evel 67.:8 +lesch#9incaid 1eading -ase ;6.: <ow Autoimmune Diseases !abotage the 'ody=s $wn Defenses.< !cience in the 0ews. >$A 0ews, ?: 0ovember ?77@. ?7 0ovember ?77@. For an interview (transcript) & downloadable mp3 similar to this article, click on the link below or above. http://tinyurl.com/y64ugf