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.
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 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. This response is a hypersensitivity reaction similar to the response in allergies.
In allergies, the immune system reacts to an external substance that it normally would ignore. With autoimmune disorders, the immune system reacts to normal body tissues.
What causes the immune system to no longer tell the difference between healthy body tissues and antigens is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria) and drugs may trigger some of these changes, especially in people who have genes that make them more likely to get 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:
Graves disease (4 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism. Reviewer: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Deborah Wexler, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Endocrinologist, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 08/09/2008
Multiple sclerosis (5 images)
Average Rating:
(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system. Reviewer: Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 01/21/2009
Rheumatoid arthritis (5 images)
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs. Reviewer: Ariel D. Teitel, MD, MBA, Chief, Division of Rheumatology, St. Vincent?s Hospital, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 02/22/2009
Autoimmune hepatitis (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Autoimmune hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that occurs when immune cells mistake the liver's normal cells for harmful invaders and attack them. Reviewer: George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 02/21/2009
Addison's disease (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Addison's disease is a disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of their hormones. Reviewer: Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 03/18/2008
Systemic lupus erythematosus (6 images)
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder. It may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs. Reviewer: Mark James Borigini, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 02/03/2009
Chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease) (4 images)
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(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Chronic thyroiditis is swelling (inflammation) of the thyroid gland that often results in reduced thyroid function (hypothyroidism. Reviewer: Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 06/17/2008
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