What is autoimmunity? Noel R. Rose, MD, PhD, Director Autoimmune Disease Research Center, Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
- Autoimmunity – Immune response to normal antigens of the host
- Autoimmunity disease – Disease caused or significantly promoted by autoimmunity
- Cells T-Lymphocytes
- Cells B-Lymphocytes
- Regulatory is limited or suppressed or stimulus might be overly strong.
- At least 100 diseases affecting every organ system in USA 14.7 to 23.5 million people (5-8%)
most require life-long treatment chronic among the leading causes of mortality among woman
under 65.
o Vascular system
o Connective tissue
o Endocrine
o Neurological
o GI (Martin note – Achalasia?)
o Skin
o Kidneys
o Heart
- Virtually all autoimmune disease are rare diseases
- Estrogen tends to increase some autoimmune responses
- Genes on the X Chromosome contribute to autoimmune disease
- Prolactin levels are raised in some autoimmune diseases
- Age, Geographic and ethnic factors
o Distance from equator might create a higher ratio of occurrence in autoimmune
diseases (Martin note - Achalasia?)
o Sex and age bias for autoimmune. Puberty, pregnancy?
o Environmental triggers – Manufacturing and hormones in foods.
o
Environmental Factor
Genetic disposition
Autoimmune Disease
Endocrine Effect
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Family clusters
o Multiple autoimmunity diseases
o 30% twin concordance
o Major histocompatibility complex
Environmental Triggers
o Drugs – Procaine Amide
o Viruses
o Bacteria – Beta Hemolytic streptococcus
o Food – Iodine
o Pollutants – Mercury
o Hormones – Distruptors
o Smoking
o STRESS
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Where to go
Direction
o Predictive – Early diagnosis
o Biomarkers – Tests for antibodies
More numbers of antibodies = Higher risk of an autoimmune disease – Risk signs
o (Martin note – Look for antibodies for Achalasia?)
Physicians are unfamiliar with Autoimmune diseases
o Average time to diagnosis – 4 years and 5 doctors
o Fetal cells from past pregnancies
o Lacking high levels of autoimmune antibodies, antigen specific
Women and Autoimmune Disease – Rita Baron-Faust, MPH, CHES – Author of The Autoimmune
Connection
- Fatigue
- Joint pain (Martin note – Connection to Achalasia, inflammation in entire body)
- Depression
- (Martin note – Track when my joint pain increases, see if there is a connection with increased
eating issues. Post question on Facebook – Merissa note: Question has been posted, and will
track the answer)
- Predictive auto antibody testing
- www.aarda.org
- Pain and fatigue – Pre-cursor to having increased swallowing issues.
Autoimmune Diseases of the Skin – Robert A. Norman, DO, MPH, MBA, Lead Dermatologist, Dr.
Robert A Norman and Associates, Tampa FL
- B-Cells attack outside the cells – the invaders
- T-Cells attack inside the cells – the invaders
- (Martin note – Myelin sheath questions on how many effect Achalasia)
- Get the three basic blood test blood tests
- CBC – Complete blood count
- ANA – Anti-nuclear antibody
- Thyroid or TSH – For thyroid disease
- (Martin note – Also look for antibodies for achalasia, test prolactin levels for possible increase)
What is the Immune System – Andrew Cooke, MD, Fellow, Allergy and Immunology Division,
University of South Florida, Tampa FL
- Thymus – Where T-cells are made. Helps fight infection
- Two major types
o Innate – Born with
o Adaptive – Alter
- Cells of Immune system
o Neutrophil – 3 Million a day
o Eosinophil
o Basophil
o Mast cells
o Macrophages
o Dendritic cells – Brain of immune system cells of
o B Cells – Mature into bone marrow
o Plasma cells
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 Mature from B-cells
 Secret antibodies
T- Cells – Mature in the thymus (Cancer fighting cells)
NK Cells – Natural killer cells (Cancer fighting cells)
Vaccines – Prevent deaths
Common Issues in Chronic Illness – Linda Ruescher, Program Director, Lupus Foundation of Florida
- Help grieve your disease
- Journal as a private person not public person
- Don’t burden family, they are grieving also
- Manage your fatigue
- Rest before you are tired
- Don’t push
- Rest/Activity ratio
- Talk to your doctor
- Other causes of fatigue
o Depression
Coping with Autoimmune Disease – Robert H. Phillips, PhD, Director, Center for Coping, Long Island,
NY
- Make an action plant to reach (GOALS)
- Book – You can’t afford the luxury of a negative thought
- 1 in 3 has an incurable condition in the U.S.
- Coping – First figure out how the disease effects you
o Social
o Physical
o Emotional
o Activities
o Kin
- Autogenic training
o Use of imagery to help with quality of life with the disease
 Imagine your symptom – Paint a picture of it Come up with a way to imagine reversing the symptom
 Conclude with something very relaxing.
- S + I =R
o Stimulus
o Interpretation
o Response
- Cognitive re-constructioning – Book: Feeling Good by David Burns)
- The quick release technique