Immunobiologicals have improved the treatment of autoimmune diseases, doctors say
Autoimmune diseases are a range of health conditions in which the immune system attacks the body itself. This umbrella encompasses very different conditions, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, among many others.
In the program Sinais Vitais Dr. Kalil Interview this Saturday (27), doctors Ana Luisa Garcia Calich, rheumatologist, and Cristina Abdalla, dermatologist, explain the causes, the main risk factors and what would be the warning signs for early diagnosis of these conditions.
Skin is one of the first organs to signal autoimmune diseases
During the conversation, Abdalla reinforced how the skin is one of the first organs to show manifestations of autoimmune diseases, which can appear in different ways. Therefore, it is important that patients with photosensitivity protect themselves well from the sun, both by using sunscreen and by creating physical barriers to the sun's rays, such as clothing and hats.
Aesthetic treatments also require care from these patients. "There is no universal answer, because we have different autoimmune diseases that have different behaviors and triggers", ponders the dermatologist. She explains that, on the one hand, filler substances can trigger an immune response, so care must be taken. Some types of light can also trigger photosensitive diseases.
New medicines help with treatment
Calich explained how today it is better to treat patients with autoimmune diseases, thanks to immunobiological medicines. They are made with biotechnology, allowing them to act on specific mechanisms of the immune system, reducing side effects and enabling the patient to lead a normal life. "And the best thing about all this is that these medicines are in the SUS, the vast majority of them", reinforces the rheumatologist.
Another important point in the conversation between Kalil and the experts is about the age at risk for autoimmune diseases. Calich responds that there is no specific age group for presenting this type of condition. "They can affect both children and the elderly", considers the specialist.
But it largely depends on the disease. Giant cell arteritis, for example, only appears after the age of 50 and can increase the risk of elderly people losing their vision, which causes a medical emergency.
The program also discusses the impact of visible and invisible manifestations of these diseases on patients' quality of life, including the effects on self-esteem and mental health, and how women are the majority among patients with these conditions.
"CNN Signs Vitals - Dr. Kalil Interview" will be shown this Saturday, June 27th, at 7:30 pm, on CNN Brasil.
New guidelines expand the treatment of fibromyalgia through the SUS
Source: CNN