Define autoimmune disease and autoantibody

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Reference no: EM133989897

Assignment:

Part I - The Investigative Process

Jamie is a 26-year-old graduate student at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. She is working on her PhD in biology. As a biologist, she enjoys spending time outdoors when she can. Th e campus is on the edge of the woods and it is a nice place for Jamie to walk and relax to relieve the stress of graduate school. Jamie has not been able to enjoy her walks lately due to the fatigue she has been experiencing. Others have noticed that she does not have the stamina she had in the past to complete her research. Her major professor convinces her that it would be a good idea to make an appointment to see her family physician to determine the source of her fatigue. He suggests that maybe she has a viral infection, and she just needs to get some rest. She is able to get an appointment with her family practitioner. When she arrives at the clinic, the nurse takes her blood pressure and temperature. Her blood pressure is 128/74 and her temperature is a slightly elevated 101.20F.

She is asked to provide her family medical history and to describe any symptoms she has noticed. Jamie tells her doctor that her maternal grandmother had rheumatism and was not able to get around. Her father had prostate cancer. She cannot think of any other family illnesses. She tells her doctor that in addition to feeling run down, her knees and elbows have been aching, and she has been having trouble pipetting because of pain in her hands. She has been experiencing frequent cold sores that she has been treating with over-the-counter medication. She attributes her recent weight loss to poor eating habits as a student. On general examination, the doctor finds a rash on her upper back where she is typically exposed to the sun and swollen lymph nodes on her neck. Th e doctor decides that further tests are required to rule out some obvious possibilities. He suspects an autoimmune disease such as lupus (systemic lupus erythematous, SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a tick born disease like Lyme disease, anemia, or chronic Epstein Barr virus syndrome. Jamie is sent to the lab where blood is drawn. She is asked to return the following week to review the lab test results.

Questions

1. What information provided by Jamie would lead the physician to suspect a systemic disease? Include any environmental or lifestyle clues.

2. Define autoimmune disease and autoantibody.

3. What environmental triggers are associated with autoimmune diseases?

4. What are some of the autoimmune diseases?

5. What are the typical signs and symptoms of autoimmune diseases using lupus as an example?

6. Using WebMD (www.webmd.com) or MedlinePlus (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus), find the criteria for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematous, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, and chronic Epstein Barr syndrome

7. Why does the doctor suspect that Jamie may be anemic?

Part II - Therapeutic Treatments

Jamie meets with the rheumatologist and she explains to her the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. She reviews with Jamie the short-term and long-term treatment options. She explains that even though lupus can be controlled in many cases, there are often complications associated with the drugs used to treat symptoms. She outlines a treatment plan, and they agree to take a moderately aggressive approach. Jamie leaves the doctor's office understanding that this will be a lifelong fight and very likely her symptoms will get worse. She plans to make the most of her life and treat the flares of this potentially aggressive disease.

Questions

1. Describe the four different groups of medications that are used to treat lupus.

2. How do these medications work in controlling lupus? Give some specific examples.

3. With lupus, what approach to treatment would you take?

4. What are possible long-term complications with the use of these medications?

Reference no: EM133989897

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