Using The Internet To Conduct A Search Of Autoimmune Disorde
Using The Internet Conduct A Search Of Autoimmune Disorders How Many
Using the Internet, conduct a search of autoimmune disorders. How many disorders can you find? What tissues can be attacked by your immune system? Select one autoimmune disease to summarize. What are the common signs and symptoms exhibited in a patient with this disease? Your response should be at least one page in length. Include at least one reference to support your work in APA format. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.
Paper For Above instruction
Autoimmune disorders constitute a diverse group of diseases characterized by the immune system mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues and organs. A comprehensive online search reveals that over 80 different autoimmune diseases have been identified to date. These disorders can target various tissues such as the joints, skin, connective tissues, endocrine glands, and even the nervous system. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, among others. The immune system in these cases produces autoantibodies and activates T-cells that recognize self-antigens as foreign, leading to tissue inflammation, destruction, and dysfunction (Kumar et al., 2018).
Among the numerous autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most prevalent and well-studied conditions, making it an ideal candidate for further detailed discussion. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder primarily affecting the joints, especially those of the hands and feet. It is characterized by synovial membrane inflammation, which leads to joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and eventual joint destruction if left untreated. The pathophysiology involves autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies, along with T-cell and cytokine-mediated inflammation, resulting in pannus formation and cartilage degradation (Darrah et al., 2019).
The common signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include persistent joint pain, swelling, and warmth, morning stiffness lasting more than an hour, fatigue, and systemic features such as low-grade fever and malaise. Over time, joint deformities and erosion may develop, impairing mobility and function. Patients may also experience extra-articular manifestations like rheumatoid nodules, lung involvement, and cardiovascular complications, underlining the systemic nature of the disease (McInnes & Schett, 2017). Early diagnosis and treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can significantly reduce joint damage and improve quality of life for affected individuals.
In conclusion, autoimmune diseases are complex, affecting a wide range of tissues and organs. Rheumatoid arthritis, as a representative autoimmune disorder, manifests through joint inflammation, pain, and potential deformity, emphasizing the importance of prompt diagnosis and management. Continued research is essential to better understand the mechanisms underlying these diseases and to develop targeted therapies to mitigate their impact on patients’ health.
References
Darrah, E., Andrade, D., & Chatzidaki, E. (2019). Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. New England Journal of Medicine, 380(14), 1340–1346. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1805446
Kumar, V., Abbas, A. K., & Aster, J. C. (2018). Robbins Basic Pathology (9th ed.). Elsevier.
McInnes, I. B., & Schett, G. (2017). Pathogenetic mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis. The New England Journal of Medicine, 377(6), 559–572. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1608342