title: [Multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases].
abstract: Autoimmune diseases are caused by a defect of the human immune system characterised by an inability to recognize their own antigens and by a pathological response against these antigens. Although the aetiology of these diseases is unknown, there is a number of cellular and molecular mechanisms which can underlie these reactions. Complex interactions between genetic, infectious and/or environmental factors probably contribute to the presence of these diseases. Autoimmune diseases affect 3-8% of the general population; women account for 78-85% of all patients with autoimmune diseases. Although most of those diseases are systemic, some of them primarily affect a single organ or structure. Rarely, a few autoimmune diseases coexist in one person, which can suggest similar pathogenetic mechanisms. In this article we present a review of the literature on coexistence of multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic active hepatitis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, uveitis, pemphigus, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anaemia and autoimmune thyroiditis.
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Klinika Neurologii, Akademia Medyczna im. prof. Feliksa Skubiszewskiego w Lublinie, Lublin. ewbel@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belniak
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Stelmasiak
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papuć
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology