A chronic systemic disease characterised by inflammatory changes in joints & related structures that results in crippling deformities. Diseases primarily affecting the synovium & adjacent tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks the joints producing a inflammatory synovitis that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can also produce diffuse inflammation in the lungs, pericardium, pleura, and sclera, and also nodular lesions, most common in subcutaneous tissue under the skin. Although the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, autoimmunity plays a pivotal role in its chronicity and progression. Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis: – Exact cause is not known. – Evidence points to autoimmune etiology. – Genetic predisposition common. – Precipitating factors: • Physical or emotional stress. • read more [...]

Still’s Disease Chronic, inflammatory, systemic disease which may cause joint or connective tissue damage & visceral lesions throughout the body characterised by fever, rash, hepato-spleenomegaly & arthritis in children. It is a persistent inflammatory arthritis (> 6 weeks) that begins before age 16 for which no specific cause can be found. ETIOLOGY of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis • Exact cause is unknown. • Evidence points to autoimmune aetiology. • Associated with physical or emotional stress. • Age: Under 16 years of age. • Sex: Common in girls. CLINICAL FEATURES of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms • Onset: acute or insidious. • Fever. • Swelling & pain in joints. • Poor appetite. • Loss of weight. • Child refuses to walk without being able to explain why. • Irritability. • Listlessness. Signs • Fever: remittent. • Rash on trunk, limbs as patches of erythema. • Hepatomegaly. • Splenomegaly. • Affected joints hot, tender & swollen. • Effusion of joint. • Limitation of joint movement. INVESTIGATIONS for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Blood: • Hb%: low. • TLC: 20,000-50,000/cu.mm. • read more [...]

Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body attacks its own cells. Autoimmune diseases are a major cause of immune-mediated diseases, and are commonly referred to as Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases (AIID). Gender influence Nearly 79% of autoimmune disease patients in the USA are women. Also they tend to appear during or shortly after puberty. It is not known why this is the case, although hormone levels have been shown to affect the severity of some autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.[1] Other causes may include the presence of fetal cells in the maternal bloodstream. [2] Autoimmune diseases It is possible to classify autoimmune diseases by corresponding type of hypersensitivity: type II, type III, or type IV. (No type of autoimmune disease mimics type I hypersensitivity.)[3] Name Accepted/ suspected Hypersensitivity Autoantibody Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) Accepted[4] Addison’s disease Accepted[4] Ankylosing spondylitis Accepted[4] Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) Accepted[4] Autoimmune read more [...]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus, pronounced /s??st?m?k ?lu?p?s ??r??θim??to?s?s/) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can be fatal, though with recent medical advances, fatalities are becoming increasingly rare. As with other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remissions. Lupus can occur at any age, and is most common in women, particularly of non-European descent.[1] Lupus is treatable symptomatically, mainly with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, though there is currently no cure. Survival in patients with SLE in the United States, Canada, and Europe is approximately 95% at 5 years, 90% at 10 years, and 78% at 20 years.[2] Classification of Systemic lupus erythematosus Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease. Clinically, it can affect multiple organ systems, including the heart, skin, joints, kidneys, and nervous system. There are several read more [...]