NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES (NIAMS)

No one is sure what causes autoimmune diseases. In of federally and privately supported clinical trials for a most cases, a combination of factors is probably at variety of autoimmune disorders, visit work. For example, you might have a genetic www.clinicaltrials.gov. tendency to develop a disease and then, under the right conditions, an outside invader like a virus might KEY WORDS trigger it. Acquired immune system. The part of the immune The list of diseases that fall into the autoimmune system that develops as a person grows. It employs category includes: antibodies and immune cells to fight harmful

substances.

• alopecia areata • pernicious anemia Antibody. A special protein produced by the body’s • autoimmune hemolytic • polyarteritis nodosa immune system that recognizes and helps fight anemia infectious agents and other foreign substances that • polymyositis • autoimmune hepatitis invade the body. • primary biliary cirrhosis • dermatomyositis • psoriasis Antigen. A foreign substance that triggers the • diabetes (type 1) production of antibodies when it is introduced into the • rheumatoid arthritis • some forms of juvenile body. • scleroderma/systemic idiopathic arthritis sclerosis Autoimmune disease. A disease that results when • glomerulonephritis • Sjögren’s syndrome the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own • Graves’ disease • systemic lupus tissues. • Guillain-Barré syndrome erythematosus Corticosteroids. Potent anti-inflammatory hormones • idiopathic • some forms of thyroiditis that are made naturally in the body or synthetically thrombocytopenic purpura • some forms of uveitis (man-made) for use as drugs. They are also called • myasthenia gravis • vitiligo glucocorticoids. The most commonly prescribed drug • some forms of myocarditis • granulomatosis with of this type is prednisone. • multiple sclerosis polyangiitis (Wegener’s) Diabetes, type 1. A condition in which the immune • pemphigus/pemphigoid system destroys insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, making it impossible for the body to use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. Type 1 diabetes The treatment depends on the disease, but in most usually occurs in children and young adults. cases one important goal is to reduce inflammation. Sometimes doctors prescribe corticosteroids or Graves’ disease. An autoimmune disease of the immunosuppressive drugs. thyroid gland that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormone. This causes such symptoms as PROGRESS AND PROMISE nervousness, heat intolerance, heart palpitations, and unexplained weight loss. Further research should continue to enhance the understanding of the genetics and causes of Immune system. A complex network of specialized autoimmune disorders and result in improvements in cells and organs that work together to defend the body diagnosing and treating these diseases. For against attacks by foreign invaders, such as bacteria information on autoimmune disease research that is and viruses. supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Immunosuppressive drugs. Drugs that suppress the Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, visit immune response and can be used to treat www.niams.nih.gov/Research/default.asp. For a listing autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, because these

2 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES (NIAMS) drugs also suppress normal immunity, they leave the Systemic lupus erythematosus. An autoimmune body at risk for infection. disease affecting primarily young women. Many parts of the body can be affected, including the joints, skin, Inflammation. A reaction of body tissues to injury or kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. disease, typically marked by five signs: swelling, redness, heat, pain, and loss of function. Thyroiditis. An inflammation of the thyroid gland that causes the gland to become underactive. This results Innate immune system. The part of the immune in symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, weight gain, system that is more primitive. It employs types of white cold intolerance, and muscle aches. blood cells called granulocytes and monocytes to destroy harmful substances. Vitiligo. A disorder in which the immune system destroys pigment-making cells called melanocytes. Psoriatic arthritis. A type of arthritis associated with This results in white patches of skin on different parts psoriasis, a chronic skin disease that occurs when of the body. cells in the outer layer of the skin reproduce faster than normal. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)—The Nation’s Medical Research Agency—includes 27 Institutes and Rheumatoid arthritis. A disease in which the immune Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of system attacks the linings of the joints. This results in Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and destruction. agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, Scleroderma/systemic sclerosis. An autoimmune and translational medical research, and it investigates disease characterized by abnormal growth of the causes, treatments, and cures for both common connective tissue in the skin and blood vessels. In and rare diseases. For more information about NIH more severe forms, connective tissue can build up in and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. the kidneys, lungs, heart, and gastrointestinal tract, leading in some cases to organ failure. NIH Publication No. 16–7582

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This publication contains For updates and for any questions a searchable catalog of FDA- information about medications about any medications you are approved drug products. used to treat the health condition taking, please contact the U.S. discussed here. When this Food and Drug Administration For updates and questions about publication was printed, we (FDA) toll free at 888–INFO–FDA statistics, please contact the included the most up-to-date (888–463–6332) or visit its Centers for Disease Control and (accurate) information available. website at www.fda.gov. For Prevention’s National Center for Occasionally, new information on additional information on specific Health Statistics toll free at medication is released. medications, visit Drugs@FDA at 800–232–4636 or visit its website www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ at www.cdc.gov/nchs. cder/drugsatfda. Drugs@FDA is

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