Autoimmunity Flashcards
(27 cards)
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
- an autoimmune mediated inflammatory arthritis that leads to destruction of cartilage and bone
- systemic progressive inflammatory disorder
What diseases are associated with rheumatoid arthritis?
- cardiovascular disease
- infections
- malignancies
**shortened life expectancies
Mutations in genes for which MHC class is associated with rheumatoid arthritis?
MHC Class II
What is the Pannus?
- Inflammatory region in RA
- the area where the synovial membrane meets the bone
- in rheumatoid arthritis, this is where inflammed synovial membrane activates osteoclasts via cytokines
- leads to destruction of the joint
What is Rheumatoid Factor?
- antibody against Fc region of IgG
- 85% of patients have RF
- It is not specific for RA - seen in other autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, elderly, and 10% of healthy individuals
What are Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (aCCP)?
-present in about 65-70% of RA patients
=loook this up
What inflammatory cytokines are implicated in causing rheumatoid arthritis?
- IL-1
- IL-6
- TNF-alpha
What hormone is associated with an increased risk for lupus?
-estrogen replacement
What tend to be the targets for antibodies in Lupus?
-nuclear antigens
DNA and RNA complexes
How many of the 11 ACR diagnostic criteria must be present to make a diagnosis of Lupus?
-4/11
What is malar rash?
-ACR criteria for Lupus
-Fixed erythema,
Flat or raised,
Over the malar eminences
Spares the nasolabial folds
What is Discoid Lupus?
-ACR criteria for lupus
-Erythematous raised patches with adherent keratotic scaling and follicular plugging;
Atrophic scarring in older lesions
How is arthritis resulting from Lupus different from arthritis caused by rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune arthriti?
-Arthritis with lupus is non-erosive, and thus reversible
What is the primary target of Polymyositis?
Muscle
autoimmune
What is the primary target of Dermatomysitis?
Muscle & Skin
autoimmune
What is the primary target of Systemic sclerosis/Scleroderma?
Skin/vasculopathy
autoimmune
What is the primary target of Sjogrens Syndrome?
Salivary and lacrimal glands
autoimmune
What is scleroderma?
- Multisystem disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and internal organs
- Vasculopathy : widespread functional and structural abnormalities in small arteries, arterioles, and capillaries
- Autoimmune
What is Systemic Sclerosis?
-Subset of scleroderma
- Raunaud’s phenomenon
- Fatigue
- Musculoskeletal complaints
- Puffy skin progressing to skin tightening and fibrosis
- Internal organ involvement
What is Raynaud’s Phenomenon?
- Closure of muscular digital vessels
- Triggered by cold or stress, exacerbated by medications (beta-blockers)
- Triphasic color changes (pallor, cyanosis, erythematous)
- Seen in 4-15% of normal population
- Seen in 95% of patients with scleroderma
What is the clinical presentation of Polymyositis?
- Insidious onset of proximal muscle weakness in shoulder and pelvic girdles
- 50% of pts have weakness in neck flexors
- Dysphagia
- Dysphonia
- Myalgia
- Raunaud’s
What is the clinical presentation of Dermatomyositis?
- Proximal muscle weakness and associated symptoms similar to polymyositis
- Skin rashes
What immune cells are associated with Polymyositis?
-CD8+
What immune cells are associated with Dermatomyositis?
- CD4+
* also Complement & antibodies
