2023-05-08 14:51:01
Summary of this article:
– 1 in 10 people in the UK are affected by an autoimmune disease
– this finding is much higher than previous estimates
– evidence has been found that socio-economic, seasonal and regional differences play a role, meaning that autoimmune diseases are not solely based on genetic differences
Pioneering research from the University of Oxford examining 22 million people shows that autoimmune diseases affect 1 in 10 people. This finding is significantly higher than previous estimates of three to nine percent. Scientists from several institutions collaborated on the study, looking at 19 common autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
Socioeconomic, seasonal and regional differences were found, suggesting that modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity and stress may contribute to the development of these conditions. In addition, the research confirms that individuals with one autoimmune disease are more likely to develop a second. The study highlights the need for further research to understand root causes and develop targeted interventions to reduce environmental and social risk factors, the university writes. in a press release.
Unraveling the mystery of autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system, which normally defends against infection, mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body. More than eighty different types of autoimmune diseases are known, and their exact causes, particularly with regard to the contribution of genetic predisposition or environmental factors, have remained largely a mystery. This made it difficult to conduct large studies and make reliable estimates to answer these questions.
A consortium of experts in epidemiology, biostatistics, rheumatology, endocrinology and immunology from KU Leuven, University College London, University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, Cardiff University, Leicester University and Oxford University has teamed up to answer some of these questions. Using anonymised electronic health records from 22 million individuals in the UK, they examined 19 of the most common autoimmune diseases. It looked at whether the number of cases is increasing over time, who is most affected by these conditions and how different autoimmune diseases can coexist.
Surprising findings and new patterns
The study found that the 19 autoimmune diseases studied affect about 10% of the population, with 13% of women and 7% of men. This is much higher than previous estimates, which were often based on smaller samples and included fewer autoimmune diseases. The study also found evidence of socioeconomic, seasonal and regional differences in several autoimmune diseases, suggesting that such differences are likely not solely due to genetic differences and that potentially modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity or stress play a role in development of some autoimmune diseases.
In addition, the study confirmed that in some cases, someone with one autoimmune disease is more likely to develop a second one than someone without an autoimmune disease. This finding reveals new patterns that are likely to form the basis for further research into possible common causes of several autoimmune diseases. For example, the study found that some autoimmune diseases co-occur more often than would be expected based on chance or heightened surveillance alone, but that this phenomenon was not true for all autoimmune diseases. For example, multiple sclerosis was uncommon in association with other autoimmune diseases, suggesting a separate pathophysiology.
Implications
First author of the paper, Dr Nathalie Conrad, commented on the importance of the findings: “We found that some autoimmune diseases co-occur more often than would be expected based on chance or increased surveillance alone. This could mean that some autoimmune diseases have common risk factors, such as genetic predisposition or environmental triggers.”
Sources Laio used to write this article:
#Autoimmune #Epidemic #People #Affected