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The immune system is made up of organs and cells that work together to defend the body against attacks by outside invaders such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi.
Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the body's immune system reacts against itself and produces antibodies to attack its own healthy cells and tissue. Autoimmune disorders can be directed mainly at one part of the body, such as the thyroid gland or the pancreas, or they can spread widely throughout the body, as in the case of diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
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The reason some people's immune systems begin attacking their own bodies is not known. Autoimmunity is not contagious, but the genes a child inherits from parents can influence whether a child will develop autoimmune conditions. Scientists are continuing to study the role of environmental toxins, viruses and certain drugs in causing the immune system to function improperly in this manner.
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Severe autoimmune problems can be difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. Diagnosis and treatment vary widely. These diseases can affect one location of the body or many. They can progress slowly or move quickly. The symptoms can come and go. In order to demonstrate that autoimmune conditions are the cause of a child's symtpoms, physicians use various imaging and laboratory tests including:
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- checking for the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
- complement levels: a blood test that measures the level of complement, a group of proteins in the blood that help fight off infections. Low levels of complement in the blood are associated with immune and autoimmune disorders
- complete blood count (CBC): a measurement of the size, number and maturity of different blood cells typically involved in inflammation, clotting, and oxygen transport.
- creatinine: a blood test that measures's kidney function
- erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate): a measurement of how quickly red blood cells fall to the bottom of a test tube. When swelling and inflammation are present, the blood's proteins cause blood cells to clump together more rapidly than normal. Generally, the faster the blood cells fall, the more severe the inflammation.
- hematocrit: measures the number of red blood cells present in a sample of blood. Low levels of red blood cells (anemia) are common in people with chronic diseases.
- urinalysis: testing of a urine sample for protein, red blood cells, white blood cells, and formed elements. These are markers of abnormal filtering by the kidneys
- white blood count (WBC): measures the number of white blood cells in the blood. Increased levels of white blood cells are one marker of inflammation, while decreased levels may indicate certain autoimmune diseases
- X-rays: a diagnostic test which uses electromagnetic energy to produce images of internal tissues, bones and organ on film
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): use of powerful magnetic coils to generate pictures of the body by visualizing cells, fluid, and minerals within the organs
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Clinicians involved in the treatment of autoimmune disease may include specialists in rheumatology (inflammatory conditions of the joints, blood vessels and muscles), immunology (the immune system), nephrology (the kidney), cardiology (the heart), orthopedic surgery (bone and joint surgery), or one of many other areas important for the care of these conditions.
For more information on specific autoimmune diseases, including diagnosis and treatment, see the entries on these diseases:
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- Acute Rheumatic Fever
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Lyme Disease
- Periodic fever syndromes (including Familial Mediterranean Fever)
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma (including Raynaud's phenomenon)
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (lupus)
- Vasculitis (including Takayasu's arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, and Wegener's granulomatosis)
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Autoimmune Diseases
