World Autoimmune Autoinflammatory Arthritis Day

Although many types of autoimmune disorders are rare, collectively they affect more than twenty-four million Americans.1 Autoimmune disorders occur when the body’s immune system mistakes its own healthy cells, tissues, and organs for foreign diseases and infections, therefore attacking and weakening healthy body function.

Though the cause for autoimmune disorders is mostly unknown, it’s widely accepted that both genetic and environmental factors can both contribute. With rare forms of autoimmune disorders, people can sometimes go years without being diagnosed.2

Autoimmune vs Autoinflammatory Diseases

As we bring attention to World Autoimmune Autoinflammatory Arthritis Day, it’s important to understand how autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases are related yet different.3

Similarities

  • They’re both immune system disorders that result in inflammation
  • The treatment goal for both is the same—to block the inflammatory pathway activated in each disease
  • They each cause similar, persistent symptoms such as but not limited to fever, fatigue, rash, headache, muscle/joint swelling, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, enlarged lymph nodes, and red eyes

Differences

  • They result from different pathways of the immune system
  • Features of autoimmune disorders typically include onset in middle age, are more common in females, and have more inconsistent occurrence of symptoms with flares and remissions (ie worsening symptoms at irregular intervals)
  • Features of autoinflammatory disorders typically include onset in early childhood, have more consistent occurrence of symptoms (ie recurrent episodes of fever), and a strong family history of similar symptoms
  • Autoantibody testing is negative in autoinflammatory syndromes, but positive in autoimmune disease
  • An autoinflammatory disease usually requires genetic testing to confirm

The Connection Between Autoimmune Disease, Autoinflammatory Disease, and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune (and sometimes autoinflammatory) disease that causes inflammation in joints such as hands, wrists, elbows, feet, ankles, and knees.

Though there are over one hundred types of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases in the world, RA is considered a core autoimmune arthritis disease.4 Unlike osteoarthritis which is caused from the wearing away of the cartilage that caps the bones in your joints, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is caused by the immune system attacking the joints. Most commonly, RA is an autoimmune disorder. Though in rare occurrences, it can present as both autoimmune and autoinflammatory.5

Our Commitment to the Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Community

BioMatrix provides the latest RA medical treatments aimed at reducing arthritic pain while averting joint damage and deformity. Partnering with prescribing physicians, our expert pharmacists help patients simplify and manage RA treatment plans, reduce negative effects, and increase adherence—helping to remove the burden associated with RA.

Click here to learn more about our commitment to the RA community as well as individualized specialty pharmacy services, timely access to care, and focused education and support.

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References

  1. National Institutes of Health. (2005, March). Progress in Autoimmune Diseases Research. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/sites/default/files/adccfinal.pdf

  2. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Autoimmune Diseases. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/autoimmune/index.cfm

  3. Kuruvilla, M. (2021, October 14). Autoinflammatory vs. Autoimmune Disease: What’s the Difference? https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/autoimmune/autoimmune-vs-autoinflammatory-disease

  4. Firstpost. (2020, May 20). World Autoimmune Arthritis Day 2020: All you need to know about autoimmune arthritis diseases. https://www.firstpost.com/health/world-autoimmune-arthritis-day-2020-all-you-need-to-know-about-autoimmune-arthritis-diseases-8386551.html#:~:text=On%20May%2020%20every%20year,arthritis%20as%20a%20major%20component.

  5. Savic, S. Mistry, A. Wilson, A. Barcenas-Morales, G. Definer, R. Emery, P. McGonagle, D. Autoimmune-autoinflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis Overlaps: a Rare but Potentially Important Subgroup of Diseases. https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/3/2/e000550

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