The immune system is our defense system. Lots of different proteins make up this system. Together, they help protect us from things that can make us sick. Some proteins fight infections. Others prevent bacteria from making us sick. One group of proteins works to protect us from certain types of Read more
Eosinophilic Esophagitis, or EoE, is an immune system disease. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. Your esophagus is the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. “Itis” means swelling. EoE happens when eosinophils buildup in the lining of your esophagus. Food or allergies may cause EoE. The Read more
Lupus is an autoimmune disease. Your body’s immune, or defense, system attacks your own tissues and organs. This often causes swelling which affects your joints. It can also affect your skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. The most common symptom is a rash that covers your nose and Read more
Inflammation is when a part of the body swells, gets red, hot, and is often painful. Injury and infection are common causes. Like a sprained ankle. Or strep throat. There are also many inflammatory diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, and lupus are examples. There is a link between many of Read more
Sickle cell anemia is one of the most common genetic blood diseases. It mostly affects people of African descent. A single change in a gene is the cause. The result is not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen through your body. The leading cause of death in adults Read more
Our doctors prescribe drugs to help treat many conditions. Some of these might not be serious, like a cough or a sprained ankle. But sometimes, they can be life-threatening, like certain infections or cancer. In some cases, our defense, or immune system, can get in the way. Our immune system Read more
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroids produced by your body. They are part of our normal response to stress and help us use the nutrients in foods. GCs also reduce inflammation, or swelling, in your body. Doctors use GCs to treat a variety of diseases. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, allergies, and Read more
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system. Your immune, or defense system, attacks the protective covering of your nerves. This can mess up the signals from your brain to the rest of your body. Symptoms often start at an early age. They may get worse as Read more
Azathioprine is a drug given to patients after an organ transplant. The drug helps your body adjust to the new organ. It works by reducing the immune system’s reaction. It can also treat other immune conditions, like lupus, long-term muscle inflammation, or inflammatory bowel disease. For some people, the drug Read more
Sepsis is a potentially life threatening response to infection. Sepsis occurs when chemicals released by the body to fight infection trigger inflammation and other changes in that body that lead to organ damage. Sepsis can cause a patient to be confused and restless or drowsy, a condition called delirium. Roughly Read more