Autoimmunity and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Flashcards

1
Q

There are two broad categories of autoimmune disorders: ________________.

A

organ-specific and systemic

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2
Q

Lupus can be either type ___ or ___.

A

II; III

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3
Q

Explain the mnemonic MDSOAPBRAIN.

A

It lists the symptoms of lupus (four are required for diagnosis): malar rash, discoid rash, serositis, oral ulcers, anti-nuclear antibodies, photosensitivity, blood (anemia) renal dysfunction, arthritis, immunocompromised, neurologic (seizures or psychosis)

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4
Q

What is the most common demographic for lupus patients?

A

Women (9:1), post-pubertal, child bearing, non-caucasian

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5
Q

The strongest genetic association with lupus is _______ and the second strongest is _______.

A

C4 null allele; HLA-DR4

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6
Q

Roughly 10% of lupus patients have ___________.

A

warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia

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7
Q

Anti-phospholipid antibody leads to ________ in SLE patients.

A

increased clotting, by a mechanism that is still poorly understood (because aPL acts against prothrombin activation)

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8
Q

Neurologic symptoms appear in ___ percent of SLE patients.

A

66

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9
Q

Renal involvement is present in _______ SLE patients.

A

nearly all

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10
Q

In SLE, B cells are usually ________ and debris is _______.

A

defectively regulated; slow to be cleared; this results in persistent auto-immunity

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11
Q

Describe illicit help.

A

An antigen-presenting cell shows foreign antigen coupled to self antigen to a CD4 T cell; that T cell can then bind to an autoreactive B cell that is bound to the self part of the antigen.

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12
Q

Why are lupus patients anemic?

A

They have chronic inflammation (which decreases iron absorption and EPO production) and they make IgG to RBC and WBC surface antigens.

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