Autoimmunity

Aka: Autoimmunity, Autoimmune Conditions

1. Epidemiology
   1. Women account for 75% of Autoimmunity
   2. Age of onset is most common in young adult women
2. Mechanism
   1. Autoantibody, T-Cell mediated self tissue destruction
   2. Predisposing factors
      1. Autoimmunity increases with age: lower self tolerance
      2. Genetic predisposition
   3. Protective factors
      1. Autoimmunity less common where high antigen exposure
      2. Protective exposures in first year of life
         1. Eating dirt
         2. Living on a farm
         3. House pet
         4. Day care
      3. References
         1. Weiss (2002) N Engl J Med 347:930
3. Associated Conditions: Dermatologic Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Psoriasis
   2. Dermatitis herpeteformis
   3. Pemphigus Vulgaris
   4. Vitiligo
   5. Alopecia Areata
4. Associated Conditions: Endocrine Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
   2. Grave's Disease
   3. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
   4. Addison's Disease
5. Associated Conditions: Gastrointestinal Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Crohn's Disease
   2. Ulcerative Colitis
   3. Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
   4. Autoimmune Hepatitis
6. Associated Conditions: Hematologic Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
   2. Pernicious Anemia
   3. Autoimmune Thrombocytopenia
7. Associated Conditions: Musculoskeletal Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
   2. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
   3. Scleroderma
   4. Polymyositis
   5. Dermatomyositis
   6. Sjogren's Syndrome
   7. Ankylosing Spondylitis
8. Associated Conditions: Neurologic Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Multiple Sclerosis
   2. Myasthenia Gravis
   3. Guillain-Barre Syndrome
9. Associated Conditions: Vascular Autoimmune Conditions
   1. Temporal Arteritis
   2. Anti-phospholipid Syndrome
   3. Wegener's Granulomatosis
   4. Behcet's Syndrome
10. References
    1. Zuber (2003) AAFP Board Review, Seattle