[Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases and accompanying comorbidities]

Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (IMIDs) are a group of unrelated conditions that share common inflammatory pathways with immune dysregulation and imbalance in inflammatory cytokines. The aetiology of these conditions is unknown. IMIDs encompassing disorders as diverse as asthma, type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriasis (Ps), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), uveitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). IMIDs are associated with relative over-expression of cytokines such as TNF α. TNF α blockers are licensed for clinical use in IMIDs conditions such as RA, Ps, PsA, uveitis, IBD, AS, JIA. In patients with spondyloarthritis extra-articular manifestations are frequently observed e g psoriasis, uveitis, and IBD. Such conditions should be managed in collaboration with rheumatologists, gastroenterologists and dermatologists by drugs effective in all conditions. TNF α blockers could be a such alternative. Screening and treatment of accompanying comorbidities is very important in patients with IMIDs.