203 Nursing Assessment, Management and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases
substances and attacks these tissues. Most autoimmune diseases cause inflam - mation that can affect many parts of the body (National Cancer Institute, n.d.). Au- toimmune diseases tend to run in fami- lies and affect various races and ethnici- ties differently (National Cancer Institute, n.d.; NSCF, 2021). Autoimmunity appears to be increasing in the US according to scientists at the Na- tional Institutes of Health (2020) and their collaborators. The most common bio- marker of autoimmunity was found to be increasing generally in the US, especially in males, non-Hispanic Whites, adults 50 years of age and older, and adolescents. The reasons for these increases have not been definitely identified but they suggest a possible increase in future au- toimmune diseases. Some of the most common autoimmune diseases include the following (Messen - ger, 2021; NSCF, 2021):
for diagnosis of alopecia areata is 32 years in males and 36 years in females
(Messenger, 2021). Pathophysiology
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune dis- ease. Cells of the immune system sur- round and “attack” hair follicles, which causes the attached hair to fall out. The greater the number of hair follicles at- tacked by the immune system, the greater the loss of hair. Although hair loss occurs, hair follicles are rarely destroyed (Amer- ican Academy of Dermatology Associa- tion (AAD), 2021a). Anyone can develop alopecia areata. There are, however, some people who are at greater risk for its development (AAD, 2021a): ● An estimated 10% to 20% of people with alopecia areata have a family member with the disorder. The actual percentage may be much higher since many people try to hide hair loss. ● People who have asthma, hay fever, atopic dermatitis, thyroid disease, vitiligo, or Down syndrome are at higher risk for developing the disease. ● People with cancer who are being treated with various chemotherapeutic drugs are at risk for hair loss. Hair generally regrows after treatment is completed. Assessment Alopecia areata most typically causes discrete, smooth patches of hair loss on the scalp (see Figure 1). Hair loss may also occur in other areas of the body, such as eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and extrem- ities. Severe disease may lead to the loss of all scalp hair (alopecia totalis) or of all body hair (alopecia universalis; AAD, 2021a).
● Alopecia areata. ● Celiac disease. ● Crohn’s disease. ● Diabetes Type 1. ● Multiple sclerosis (MS). ● Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ● Lupus. ● Scleroderma. ● Psoriasis. ● Ulcerative colitis. ● Vitiligo. Alopecia areata
Alopecia areata is a chronic disorder that affects anagen hair follicles and caus- es non-scarring hair loss. The disorder oc- curs throughout the world. Its estimated prevalence is about one in 1,000 people, with a lifetime risk of approximately two percent. The disorder occurs at similar rates in males and females and affects both children and adults. The mean age
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