Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells, tissues, and organs instead of protecting them from harmful substances. This abnormal response results in inflammation, tissue injury, and impaired function of different organs. The purpose of this study is to present a general understanding of autoimmune disorders and explore their impact on multiple body systems, such as the musculoskeletal, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and integumentary systems. A descriptive review method was adopted, drawing on information from textbooks, scholarly articles, and medical journals to examine the causes and clinical features of commonly known autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. The review indicates that autoimmune conditions can occur at any age, although they are more frequently seen in women. Several contributing factors have been identified, including genetic susceptibility, environmental influences, infections, and hormonal changes. The study also emphasizes that autoimmune diseases are often chronic in nature and can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life, potentially leading to serious long-term complications if not properly managed. Recognizing symptoms early and initiating appropriate treatment are essential steps in slowing disease progression and minimizing permanent damage. Management strategies include pharmacological treatments such as immunosuppressants and corticosteroids, along with lifestyle modifications and supportive care. The study concludes that autoimmune diseases represent a significant public health concern due to their chronic nature and multisystem involvement. Increased awareness, early diagnosis, and patient education are essential in improving outcomes and reducing disease burden. Health professionals, especially nurses, play a vital role in patient care, monitoring, and education regarding disease management and prevention of complications.

Keywords: Autoimmune diseases, immune system, inflammation, organ systems, chronic illness

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1. Abbas AK, Lichtman AH, Pillai S. Cellular and molecular immunology. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2021.
2. Davidson A, Diamond B. Autoimmune diseases. N Engl J Med. 2001 Aug 2;345(5):340–50. doi: 1056/NEJM200108023450506. PMID: 11484692.
3. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee for the Assessment of NIH Research on Autoimmune Diseases. Enhancing NIH Research on Autoimmune Disease. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2022 Jun 2. PMID:35593778.
4. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Autoimmune diseases. Available from: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/autoimmune.
5. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Autoimmune diseases. 2022. Available from: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-diseases
6. Fairweather D, Rose NR. Women and autoimmune diseases. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Nov;10(11):2005–11. doi: 3201/eid1011.040367. PMID: 15550215; PMCID: PMC3328995.
7. Rosenblum MD, Remedios KA, Abbas AK. Mechanisms of human autoimmunity. J Clin Invest. 2015 Jun;125(6):2228–33. doi: 1172/JCI78088. Epub 2015 Jun 1. PMID: 25893595; PMCID: PMC4518692.
8. Fauci AS, et al. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 20th ed. McGraw Hill; 2018.
9. Wang L, Wang FS, Gershwin ME. Human autoimmune diseases: A comprehensive update. J Intern Med. 2015 Oct;278(4):369–95. doi: 1111/joim.12395. Epub 2015 Jul 25. PMID: 26212387.
10. Barcelona V. National Academies Recommendations for Transformative Change in Women’s Health Research at the National Institutes of Health. Nurs Res. 2025 Mar-Apr;74(2):87-90. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000803. Epub 2024 Dec 16. PMID:39679866.
11. Ramos-Casals M, Roberto-Perez-Alvarez, Diaz-Lagares C, Cuadrado MJ, Khamashta MA; BIOGEAS Study Group. Autoimmune diseases induced by biological agents: A double-edged sword? Autoimmun Rev. 2010 Jan;9(3):188–93. doi: 1016/j.autrev.2009.10.003. Epub 2009 Oct 23. PMID: 19854301.
12. Kumar V, Abbas A, Aster J. Robbins and Cotran pathological basis of disease. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2020.
13. Conrad N, Verbeke G, Molenberghs G, Goetschalckx L, Callender T, Cambridge G, et al. Autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular risk: A population-based study on 19 autoimmune diseases and 12 cardiovascular diseases in 22 million individuals in the UK. Lancet. 2022 Sep 3;400(10354):733–743. doi: 1016/S0140-6736(22)01349-6. Epub 2022 Aug 27. PMID: 36041475.
14. Xiao XP, Wu MY, Li Y, Hu X, Qin BY. Global landscape of autoimmune diseases across different lifespan: a three-decade perspective. Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 Jan 9;105(2):e47140. doi: 1097/MD.0000000000047140. PMID: 41517761; PMCID: PMC12795021.

Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells, tissues, and organs instead of protecting them from harmful substances. This abnormal response results in inflammation, tissue injury, and impaired function of different organs. The purpose of this study is to present a general understanding of autoimmune disorders and explore their impact on multiple body systems, such as the musculoskeletal, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and integumentary systems. A descriptive review method was adopted, drawing on information from textbooks, scholarly articles, and medical journals to examine the causes and clinical features of commonly known autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. The review indicates that autoimmune conditions can occur at any age, although they are more frequently seen in women. Several contributing factors have been identified, including genetic susceptibility, environmental influences, infections, and hormonal changes. The study also emphasizes that autoimmune diseases are often chronic in nature and can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life, potentially leading to serious long-term complications if not properly managed. Recognizing symptoms early and initiating appropriate treatment are essential steps in slowing disease progression and minimizing permanent damage. Management strategies include pharmacological treatments such as immunosuppressants and corticosteroids, along with lifestyle modifications and supportive care. The study concludes that autoimmune diseases represent a significant public health concern due to their chronic nature and multisystem involvement. Increased awareness, early diagnosis, and patient education are essential in improving outcomes and reducing disease burden. Health professionals, especially nurses, play a vital role in patient care, monitoring, and education regarding disease management and prevention of complications.

Keywords: Autoimmune diseases, immune system, inflammation, organ systems, chronic illness

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Abbas AK, Lichtman AH, Pillai S. Cellular and molecular immunology. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2021.
2. Davidson A, Diamond B. Autoimmune diseases. N Engl J Med. 2001 Aug 2;345(5):340–50. doi: 1056/NEJM200108023450506. PMID: 11484692.
3. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee for the Assessment of NIH Research on Autoimmune Diseases. Enhancing NIH Research on Autoimmune Disease. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2022 Jun 2. PMID:35593778.
4. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Autoimmune diseases. Available from: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/autoimmune.
5. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Autoimmune diseases. 2022. Available from: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-diseases
6. Fairweather D, Rose NR. Women and autoimmune diseases. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Nov;10(11):2005–11. doi: 3201/eid1011.040367. PMID: 15550215; PMCID: PMC3328995.
7. Rosenblum MD, Remedios KA, Abbas AK. Mechanisms of human autoimmunity. J Clin Invest. 2015 Jun;125(6):2228–33. doi: 1172/JCI78088. Epub 2015 Jun 1. PMID: 25893595; PMCID: PMC4518692.
8. Fauci AS, et al. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 20th ed. McGraw Hill; 2018.
9. Wang L, Wang FS, Gershwin ME. Human autoimmune diseases: A comprehensive update. J Intern Med. 2015 Oct;278(4):369–95. doi: 1111/joim.12395. Epub 2015 Jul 25. PMID: 26212387.
10. Barcelona V. National Academies Recommendations for Transformative Change in Women’s Health Research at the National Institutes of Health. Nurs Res. 2025 Mar-Apr;74(2):87-90. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000803. Epub 2024 Dec 16. PMID:39679866.
11. Ramos-Casals M, Roberto-Perez-Alvarez, Diaz-Lagares C, Cuadrado MJ, Khamashta MA; BIOGEAS Study Group. Autoimmune diseases induced by biological agents: A double-edged sword? Autoimmun Rev. 2010 Jan;9(3):188–93. doi: 1016/j.autrev.2009.10.003. Epub 2009 Oct 23. PMID: 19854301.
12. Kumar V, Abbas A, Aster J. Robbins and Cotran pathological basis of disease. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2020.
13. Conrad N, Verbeke G, Molenberghs G, Goetschalckx L, Callender T, Cambridge G, et al. Autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular risk: A population-based study on 19 autoimmune diseases and 12 cardiovascular diseases in 22 million individuals in the UK. Lancet. 2022 Sep 3;400(10354):733–743. doi: 1016/S0140-6736(22)01349-6. Epub 2022 Aug 27. PMID: 36041475.
14. Xiao XP, Wu MY, Li Y, Hu X, Qin BY. Global landscape of autoimmune diseases across different lifespan: a three-decade perspective. Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 Jan 9;105(2):e47140. doi: 1097/MD.0000000000047140. PMID: 41517761; PMCID: PMC12795021.