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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AUTOIMMUNITY TO A CLINICIAN
Author(s) -
BLACKBURN C. R. B.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
australasian annals of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0571-9283
DOI - 10.1111/imj.1965.14.4.270
Subject(s) - autoimmunity , immunology , medicine , autoantibody , autoimmune disease , disease , immune system , causation , prednisone , antibody , political science , law
SUMMARY Autoimmunity and autoimmune disease are described in terms of the types of immune hypersensitivity reactions which may arise from endogenous or exogenous stimuli. The presence of autoantibodies does not imply that they are having harmful effects or that they are causally related to the patient's diseases. The effects of exogenous agents, such as drugs, inducing immune responses in genetically susceptible persons may mimic autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune causation for most so‐called autoimmune diseases has not been proven, and strict criteria must be adopted if a diagnosis of an autoimmune cause for a patient's illness is made, especially before the administration of potentially lethal drugs. Immunosuppressive agents, such as prednisone and 6‐mercaptopurine, may effectively control symptoms by exerting anti‐inflammatory effects, and a response to them does not necessarily imply immune causation for the disease being treated.