Diagnostic Criteria in Autoimmune Diseases
According to the Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee (ADCC), between 14.7 and 23.5 million people in the USA–up to eight percent of the population–are affected by autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are a family of more than 100 chronic, and of
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Diagnostic Criteria in Autoimmune Diseases
Yehuda Shoenfeld Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Ricard Cervera University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
M. Eric Gershwin University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA Editors
With compliments of
Editors Prof. Yehuda Shoenfeld Sheba Med. Center Dept. Medicine ‘‘B’’ 52 621 Tel-Hashomer Israel [email protected]
Prof. Ricard Cervera Hospital Clinic Servei de Malalties Autoimmunes Villarroel, 170 08036 Barcelona Catalonia, Spain [email protected]
Prof. M. Eric Gershwin University of California at Davis School of Medicine Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology Davis, CA 95616 USA [email protected]
ISBN: 978-1-60327-284-1 (softcover)
e-ISBN: 978-1-60327-285-8
ISBN: 978-1-60327-427-2 (hardcover) DOI: 10.1007/978-1-60327-285-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008933364 # 2008 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Humana Press, 999 Riverview Drive, Suite 208, Totowa, NJ 07512 USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of going to press, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 springer.com
Preface
Autoimmune diseases are a family of more than 100 illnesses that develop when underlying defects in the immune system lead the body to attack its own organs, tissues, and cells. While many of these diseases are rare, collectively they affect, according to the Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee (ADCC) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, between 14.7 and 23.5 million people in the USA – up to 8% of the population – and their prevalence is rising. Because a complete cure is not available for nearly every one of these 100 autoimmune diseases, patients face a lifetime of illness and treatment. And, because most of these diseases disproportionately afflict women, and are among the leading causes of death for young and middleaged women, they impose a heavy burden on patients’ families and on society. For these reasons, major efforts in autoimmune disease research and development must be directed toward reducing the impact of these conditions. These efforts
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