Antinuclear Antibody (cont.)
What are autoimmune diseases?
Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which there is a disorder of
the immune system characterized by the abnormal production of
antibodies (auto-antibodies) directed against the tissues of the
body. Autoimmune diseases typically feature inflammation of
various tissues of the body. ANAs are found in patients with a
number of different autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus
erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis,
polymyositis, scleroderma,
Hashimoto's thyroiditis, juvenile diabetes mellitus, Addison disease, vitiligo, pernicious anemia, glomerulonephritis, and
pulmonary fibrosis. ANAs can also be found in patients with conditions that are not considered classic autoimmune diseases, such as chronic
infections and cancer.
What other conditions cause ANAs to be produced?
ANAs can be produced in patients with infections (virus or
bacteria), lung diseases (primary pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary
hypertension), gastrointestinal diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's
disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease),
hormonal diseases (Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis, Grave's disease), blood diseases (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura,
hemolytic anemia), cancers (melanoma, breast, lung, kidney, ovarian
and others), skin diseases (psoriasis, pemphigus), as well as in the
elderly and those people with a family history of rheumatic diseases.
Next: Can medications cause ANAs to be produced? »
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