Having a relative with type-1 diabetes makes you 15 times as likely as other people to get the disease, in which the body inappropriately destroys …
Category: Autoimmune disease
Getting to know – and thanking – the faces of Crohn's disease
I met Sean Ahrens, a twentysomething patient advocate and founder of Crohnology.com at a recent conference panel on medical blogging. From his presentation and a previous …
Exploring the mystery of multiple sclerosis in the Pacific Northwest
I've read a lot, based on both personal and professional interest, on autoimmune diseases over the years. But I had no idea until this week …
Could worms be the answer to treating autoimmune disease?
I was presenting on blogging at a medical conference recently when one of my co-panelists, a patient blogger, made reference to the fact that he once explored the …
Ten-year-old YouTube star: Famous for her singing, not for her illness
I was 24 years old when I was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a rare blood disorder that involves the immune system destroying the body's …
From frustration to foundation: Embracing a diagnosis of celiac disease
We’ve partnered with Inspire, a company that builds and manages online support communities for patients and caregivers, to launch a patient-focused series here on Scope. …
The big downside of some life-changing medications
Several years ago, I listened in a state of semi-shock as a doctor gave me a classic bad news-good news combination: The autoimmune system disorder I …
Black hat in Alzheimer’s, white hat in multiple sclerosis?
Possibly no protein has a worse reputation than beta-amyloid, or A-beta, a protein snippet (or "peptide") that collects in the brain to become the chief …
Stanford researchers receive $40 million from state stem cell agency
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine today granted cardiothoracic surgeon Robert Robbins, MD, $20 million to lead a team of researchers in an investigation of …
A closer look at rheumatoid arthritis/obesity link
A recent study from the Mayo Clinic showed that obese people are 25 percent more likely than people with a healthy weight to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an …
Can yoga help women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis?
Women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis may find some welcome relief in yoga. Research from UC Los Angeles shows that practicing a style of yoga known …
A "promising time" for lupus research
HealthDay News has a nice round-up today of the latest in the diagnosis and treatment of the autoimmune disease lupus. Progress, the piece emphasizes, is being made: …
Stanford neuroimmunologist discusses recent advancements in MS research
The latest segment in Medpage Today's Clinical Context series features a conversation with Stanford researcher Lawrence Steinman, MD, about how basic science is improving researchers' …
Gluten: The "new diet villain?"
Last week, I treated myself to something sweet on Valentine’s Day: a mini, gluten-free coconut cream cupcake. Do I suffer from celiac disease? No, but …
Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis may mean fewer children for female patients
We've written before about autoimmune disease and pregnancy, and the fact that having children seems to be safe - and even beneficial - for women with one such …
A call for a new way to classify gluten-related disorders
After a lifelong battle with eczema, I went gluten-free about a year ago on the suggestion of a nutritionist - and my skin condition immediately cleared …