Overall, 78% of people affected by autoimmune disease are female (1). Regarding specific conditions, up to 95% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjogren's syndrome patients are female (2). Other conditions like arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS) occur in females around 60% more than in males (2).
The Link Between Autoimmune Disease and Women
Doctors aren't sure why autoimmune disease happens in the first place or why women are affected more than men. One theory is that higher levels of hormones in women, especially during the childbearing years, could make women more susceptible to autoimmune diseases.
The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system. This may happen more often in people who have genes that make them more prone to autoimmune disorders.
Autoimmune diseases do tend to run in families, which means that certain genes may make some people more likely to develop a problem. Viruses, certain chemicals, and other things in the environment may trigger an autoimmune disease if you already have the genes for it.
There are different types of infections caused by different foreign substances. An infection can be produced, for instance, by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Bacterial and viral infections are thought to impact the autoimmune response by a process called molecular mimicry.
Autoimmune diseases can appear with a variety of symptoms. “Some of the common signs are joint and muscle pain, swelling, fatigue and weakness. Other less common symptoms include rash, fever, weight loss and dry eyes. They may be specific to an organ system, like chest pain, breathing problems or blood clots,” Dr.
Psychological stress is reported to be a risk factor for autoimmune diseases, including Graves' disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Different types of stress and the length of time that stress is present might also affect the presentation of inflammatory autoimmune disease. There is no one known cause for autoimmunity.
Age: Most autoimmune diseases affect younger and middle-aged people. Some illnesses begin specifically in childhood, as their name suggests—juvenile idiopathic arthritis and juvenile dermatomyositis, for example. Genetics: A family history of autoimmune disease puts a child at higher risk.
Tests that may be done to diagnose an autoimmune disorder include: Antinuclear antibody (ANA) tests. Autoantibody tests. Complete blood count (CBC) with white blood cell differential (CBC with WBC differential)
An increase in pollen in the spring or leaf mold in the fall may also contribute to flares. Diet: Food triggers can be different for each person. They can be a variety of things, including gluten, soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, grains, legumes, coffee, and/or eggs.
Women account for 80–95% of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune thyroid disease and systemic sclerosis, and about 60% of arthritis and multiple sclerosis patients are women.
The diseases are common — 1 in 15 people in the U.S. have an autoimmune disease.
A new study has raised the possibility that stress may cause autoimmune disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, because it found a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases among people who were previously diagnosed with stress-related disorders.
According to researchers, “neuroendocrine” hormones caused by stress lead to suppression of the immune system, which ultimately can lead to autoimmune disease, altering or enhancing the production of cytokines, cellular messengers involved in the pathophysiology of an autoimmune disease.
Autoimmune disorders in general cannot be cured, but the condition can be controlled in many cases. Historically, treatments include: anti-inflammatory drugs – to reduce inflammation and pain. corticosteroids – to reduce inflammation.
To this end, these studies have found that coffee intake can reduce the risk of Rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, autoimmune liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Avoid high doses of vitamin C, beta carotene, cat's claw, echinacea and ginseng, among others. Why add fuel to the fire? Doing so may cause you to slip out of remission and into more misery.
You may have had an antinuclear antibody test, or ANA. This test is often done first to look for antibodies that can cause autoimmune problems. A rheumatoid factor test is also done to look for rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctor will look at several things to decide if you have one of these conditions.
Immunofluorescence is particularly useful as an initial screening test for those individuals suspected of having an autoimmune disease – SLE, Sjögren's syndrome, RA, mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), scleroderma, polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM).
Although numerous studies have shown that fibromyalgia is not an autoimmune disease (conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, whereby the body attacks healthy tissues), reliable research concurs that this condition does weaken your immune system by causing various abnormalities and irregularities.