[Multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases]

Autoimmune diseases are caused by a defect of the human immune system characterised by an inability to recognize their own antigens and by a pathological response against these antigens. Although the aetiology of these diseases is unknown, there is a number of cellular and molecular mechanisms which can underlie these reactions. Complex interactions between genetic, infectious and/or environmental factors probably contribute to the presence of these diseases. Autoimmune diseases affect 3-8% of the general population; women account for 78-85% of all patients with autoimmune diseases. Although most of those diseases are systemic, some of them primarily affect a single organ or structure. Rarely, a few autoimmune diseases coexist in one person, which can suggest similar pathogenetic mechanisms. In this article we present a review of the literature on coexistence of multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic active hepatitis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, uveitis, pemphigus, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anaemia and autoimmune thyroiditis.