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Autoimmunity refers to a pathological immune response of the body's immune system against itself. Autoimmune disease is widely recognized to be significantly more common in women than in men, and often presents differently between the sexes.[1][2][3] The reasons for these disparities are still under investigation, but may in part involve the presence of an additional X chromosome in women[3] (given that several genes on the X chromosome are associated with immune system development), as well as the higher presence of female sex hormones such as estrogen (which increases immune system response).[3] The risk, incidence, and character of autoimmune disease in women may also be associated with female-specific physiological changes, such as hormonal shifts during menses, pregnancy, and menopause.[4]
Common autoimmune symptoms experienced by both sexes include rashes, fevers, fatigue, and joint pain. Symptoms which are specific to women include irregular menses, pelvic pain, or vaginal dryness, depending on the given disease. Some diseases such as Graves' disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis[5][6] may improve during pregnancy, whereas others such as lupus may worsen.[5][6][7]
Currently it is not possible to cure autoimmune disease, but many treatments are available. Treatment of autoimmune disease can be broadly classified into anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and palliative – i.e., correcting a functional disturbance related to the condition.[8] Some medications used to treat autoimmune diseases might not be safe to use during pregnancy.[2][8]
- ^ Kronzer VL, Bridges SL, Davis JM (March 2021). "Why women have more autoimmune diseases than men: An evolutionary perspective". Evolutionary Applications. 14 (3): 629–633. Bibcode:2021EvApp..14..629K. doi:10.1111/eva.13167. PMC 7980266. PMID 33767739.
- ^ a b "Autoimmune Diseases". Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c Voskuhl R (January 2011). "Sex differences in autoimmune diseases". Biology of Sex Differences. 2 (1): 1. doi:10.1186/2042-6410-2-1. PMC 3022636. PMID 21208397.
- ^ Angum F, Khan T, Kaler J, Siddiqui L, Hussain A (May 2020). "The Prevalence of Autoimmune Disorders in Women: A Narrative Review". Cureus. 12 (5): e8094. doi:10.7759/cureus.8094. PMC 7292717. PMID 32542149.
- ^ a b Anaya JM, Shoenfeld Y, Rojas-Villarraga A, Levy RA, Cervera R (2013). Autoimmunity: From Bench to Bedside (1st ed.). Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, El Rosario University. pp. 257–265. ISBN 978-958-738-376-8.
- ^ a b Moyer MW (September 2021). "Why Nearly 80 Percent of Autoimmune Sufferers Are Female". Scientific American. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
- ^ Adams Waldorf KM, Nelson JL (2008). "Autoimmune disease during pregnancy and the microchimerism legacy of pregnancy". Immunological Investigations. 37 (5): 631–644. doi:10.1080/08820130802205886. PMC 2709983. PMID 18716941.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
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