 than men (7%). The research uncovered socio-economic, seasonal and regional disparities for several autoimmune disorders, suggesting they're unlikely to be caused by genetic differences alone. This may point to other, potentially modifiable, risk factors such as smoking, obesity and stress. In some cases a person with o){kind=link}
A group of researchers from a host of universities are teaming up to answer what role environmental factors have on the chances of someone developing an autoimmune deficiency as well as the importance of genetics
When I was still practising, autoimmune diseases were rare and exotic. There has been a remarkable change. Now they affect one in 10 people. Why should this be?
Well, for starters, the findings of a study highlight seasonal, regional and socioeconomic differences for several autoimmune disorders, providing new clues as to what factors may be involved in causing these conditions. What’s an autoimmune disease? It occurs when a trigger causes the immune system to mistakenly attack normal healthy cells in the body.
There are more than 80 known autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. The exact causes of autoimmune diseases remain largely unknown, including the role genetics play and how much is down to environmental factors.
To answer these questions, a consortium of researchers from UCL, the University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, Cardiff University, the University of Leicester, Oxford University and KU Leuven came together. The group included experts in epidemiology, biostatistics, Ârheumatology, endocrinology and immunology.