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According to a joint research of the University of Pécs Clinical Centre 1^st Department of Medicine Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases and the UP Szentágothai János Research Centre, the comorbidity of autoimmune diseases is more common than what could be expected based on the published scientific literature so far. The long-term aim of the research at the University of Pécs is to predict who might be at risk and what screening tests can help identify the next potential disease as early as possible, because this can significantly improve the chances of recovery and alleviate unpleasant symptoms.

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, with different prevalence rates in certain regions and populations around the world, but available data suggest that around 3-10 percent of people will be affected by some kind of an autoimmune disease in their lifetime. These diseases are more common, and their proportion is up to 2-10 times higher in women than in men.

“The prevalence rate of autoimmune diseases in Hungary is similar to international trends. About 6-7 percent of the adult population is affected by this group of diseases, which means approximately 400-500 thousand people,” said Dr. Emese Mezősi, full professor at the UP Clinical Centre 1^st Department of Medicine, the professional leader of the research, adding that the prevalence of autoimmune diseases has been increasing in recent decades. The causes may be environmental and lifestyle factors, but the impact of improved diagnostic capabilities must also be considered because even the mild forms of the diseases can be identified by specialists. The most common are autoimmune thyroid diseases: autoimmune thyroiditis and the Graves-Basedow disease, as well as type 1 diabetes, gluten sensitivity, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.

The results of the research in Pécs have recently been published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, which is one of the most prestigious international journals in clinical endocrinology. They found that the comorbidity of autoimmune diseases is more common than what could be expected based on the published scientific literature so far. For example, 12 percent of patients with autoimmune diseases affecting hormone-producing organs (such as the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, or adrenal glands) developed one or more additional autoimmune diseases. The specialists identified 28 such diseases in total in the group of patients they studied, which combined in a very diverse way, creating a total of 113 disease combinations.

One component of multiple autoimmunity in 94 percent of patients was in connection with the thyroid, most commonly autoimmune thyroiditis. However, the diseases were not randomly combined but arranged in characteristic patterns. In the case of autoimmune thyroid disease, the second disease affected the gastrointestinal system or was a systemic autoimmune disease, whereas in the case of type 1 diabetes, gluten sensitivity and autoimmune reactions to the gastric mucosa, the second disease predominantly damaged the hormone-producing organs. The data suggest a rational, narrowed screening algorithm after the first autoimmune disease has occurred, with a good chance of predicting the potential comorbidity.

The research is planned to continue at the University of Pécs, as the extension of the study to a larger number of cases may provide a more comprehensive picture of the network of comorbidity and facilitate the development of targeted follow-up based on the initial disease.

Source:

PTE