Endocrine Manifestations Of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

This book is one of the first to evaluate the role of Steroids in autoimmune rheumatic diseases from the basic mechanisms to the clinical involvements and focuses on the importance of steroidal hormones in the pathogenesis and therapeutic management of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In particular, the chapters analyze the mechanisms of action and the involvement of adrenal steroids (glucocorticoids) in the neuroendocrine immune system, including effects on the elderly. The perturbations of the HPA axis as a source of altered steroidal synthesis will be discussed and related to some interesting pathological conditions that commonly complicate the autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as psychosis or fibromyalgia. Concerning the role of gonadal steroids (sex hormones), several chapters will discuss clinical and epidemiological evidences of their role, as well as their effects as risk factors in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including a section on pediatrics. *The premier issue evaluating the role of steroids in autoimmune rheumatic diseases from the basic mechanisms to the clinical involvements *Documents the latest research and indicate recent and coming new therapeutic-biological approaches to the therapy *The book will present therapeutic perspectives concerning the new glucocorticoids, and the effects of biological drugs on their synthesis

This is a comprehensive and novel text that examines key features that predispose individuals to autoimmune diseases. The first section details the basic mechanism of autoimmunity and examines immunogenetic and environmental factors in autoimmunity. The next section examines autoimmune thyroid disease. The third section takes a look at Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In the final section, authors explain other autoimmune endocrinopathies.

This comprehensive reference book is meant to support clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of polyendocrine diseases and endocrine neoplastic syndromes. Although a large majority of endocrine diseases present as sporadic cases, an increasing proportion can be identified as part of a polyendocrine or systemic syndrome. These include autoimmune endocrine diseases, which may be part of autoimmune polyendocrine disorders (APS) or rare complex disorders such as POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein and skin changes) or IPEX (immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) syndromes. On the other hand, endocrine tumors may develop in a variety of clinical conditions, including multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, syndromic diseases such as McCune Albright or Carney’s complex, or peculiar familial associations such as pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma syndromes. The book discusses the significant advances that have been made in the clinical and genetic characterization of such entities, with major implications in terms of diagnosis and clinical management - with special attention to emerging syndromes, familial screening , multidisciplinarity and multimodal treatment. This volume is intended for clinicians, residents, specialists and physicians involved in the diagnosis and treatment of affected patients, including specialists in endocrinology, internal medicine, oncology , genetics and imaging.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem, immune-mediated, inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. It is difficult to diagnose and thus effective intervention in SLE patients is often delayed. This book is a comprehensive guide to lupus, with chapters on diagnosis, assessment, treatment, the link between lupus and endocrinopathies, lupus and pregnancy, and advances in therapeutics. The book is presented by devoted authors who sought the latest evidence-based data to provide a well-structured display aiming at setting standards for best practice guidelines in the diagnosis and management of each and every section discussed in the 'Lupus- Need to Know.'

In the last decades, several in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the existence of a very complex network between the neuroendocrine and immune system. Important molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions, in both physiological and pathological conditions, have also been described. Indeed, hormones play a pivotal role in the development and functional regulation of the immune system – both innate and acquired responses. Immune system cells present specific hormone receptors and themselves produce some hormones, thus influencing hormone secretion. More recently, the modulation of hormone secretion has been attempted for treating associated autoimmune disorders, further supporting the strong interplay between the endocrine and immune system. Distinguished experts, who have published extensively in their fields, have contributed comprehensive chapters to this volume. The focus is on the various aspects of endocrine-neuro-immune connections, providing an updated panorama - from basics to clinical applications - of current knowledge and still debated issues.

Dr. Robert Volpé and his distinguished contributors comprehensively review the latest thinking about the theoretical, experimental, and clinical aspects of autoimmune endocrine disorders. These world-renowned experts examine the pathogenesis and immunogenetics of these diseases, discuss the role of sex hormones in autoimmunity, and elucidate the nature of autoantigens. They also provide clinical detail on a wide variety of autoimmune endocrinopathies, including autoimmune thyroid disease, Graves' ophthalmopathy and dermopathy, human insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and autoimmune adrenocortical failure. Postpartum autoimmune endocrine syndromes, autoimmune hypophysitis, and the polyglandular autoimmune syndromes are also discussed in detail. Comprehensive and authoritative, Autoimmune Endocrinopathies provides today's most up-to-date understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of autoimmune endocrine diseases.

In 1956, three groups independently reported evidence that some thyroid disease appearing spontaneously in humans or experimentally induced in animals are related to autoimmune processes. The interval between these landmark discoveries and the present has witnessed a remarkable and continuing growth of both knowledge and concepts concerning the mechanisms of immune regulation, the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases, and their clinical and laboratory manifestations. More importantly knowledge of thyroid autoimmunity has, in many respects, comprised the vanguard of an ever increasing appreciation and understanding of autoimmune diseases in general. On November 24-26 1986, an International Symposium on Thyroid Autoimmunity was held in Pisa. Its purpose was to commemorate the birth of thyroid autoimmunity as a scientific discipline, to summarize current knowledge and concepts in this area, and where possible, to anticipate areas of opportunity for the future - hence the theme of the Symposium, Memories and Perspectives. To open the meeting, the Magnifico Rettore (Chancellor) of the University of Pisa granted special Awards to Dr. Deborah Doniach, Dr. Ivan Roitt, and Dr. Noel R. Rose, who published the first fundamental studies in the field of thyroid autoimmunity, and to Dr. Duncan G. Adams, whose discovery of the long-acting thyroid stimulator (LATS) opened the door to our current understanding of the pathogenesis of Graves' disease. During the meeting thirty plenary lectures were presented.

Interactions between the immune, endocrine and nervous systems seldom appear as main issues in the neurosciences and in immunology. So far this was most likely due to the need to focus on the molecular and cellular bases of single neural, endocrine and immune processes. But hormones, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides can also influence more subtle mechanisms underlying immune cell activity. The contents of this volume aim at listing some aspects which show that not only the bases for neuroendocrine control of more refined mechanisms related to the organization and functioning of the immune systems to exist, but also that the immune system can actively communicate with neuroendocrine structures. The evidence is divided into three categories: - Anatomical, cellular and molecular bases for the exchange of information between immune, endocrine and neural cells, - reciprocal effects between immune and neuroendocrine mechanisms, and - immune-neuroendocrine regulatory circuits. Immunologically triggered neuroendocrine responses can be either beneficial or deleterious for the host. A systematic approach would imply the simultaneous evaluation of neuroendocrine and immune parameters and thus provide the basis for therapeutic interventions based on antagonizing or blocking undesirable effects.