Understanding Autoimmune Disorders

Each autoimmune disease comes with its own set of associated risks, but there are some general trends for this category of conditions. Research suggests that autoimmune diseases tend to co-occur, and there is some evidence that having an existing autoimmune disorder affects the risk for a second disorder. While multiple sclerosis appears to reduce the risk for rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune disorders were found to commonly coexist. Additionally, patients with autoimmune diseases were found to have an increased risk for mental and mood conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder.