Two autoimmune diseases were discovered in a woman's body, showing signs of fatigue, rash, and hair loss.

After being examined in many places, being diagnosed with physical weakness and using medication without improvement, patient VHT (33 years old, Tuyen Quang ) visited MEDLATEC General Hospital and was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases at the same time: systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome. Autoimmune diseases are one of the leading causes of disability and death, if not detected early and treated promptly.

Surprised to be diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases at the same time

About 2 months before the visit to MEDLATEC General Hospital, patient VHT was often tired, with hair loss, dry eyes, joint pain, lost 4kg in 2 months, red rashes scattered on hands and feet, severe itching, sometimes purple-red fingertips when cold. Before that, Ms. T. had been examined in many places, received a diagnosis of physical weakness, after a period of vitamin supplementation according to the doctor's instructions but did not see any improvement.

At MEDLATEC, with experience in examination, the doctor suspected that the patient had signs of autoimmune disease. The patient was assigned to perform the necessary tests and imaging diagnosis. The paraclinical results showed that the ANA 23 Profile test kit had 5 positive antibodies. Combined with the clinical signs, the doctor made a definitive diagnosis that the patient had two autoimmune diseases at the same time: systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome.

Raynaud's phenomenon (red-purple fingertips when cold) - a common symptom of Sjogren's syndrome (left) and itchy rashes indicative of systemic lupus erythematosus (right)

Commenting on the case, Dr. Tran Thi Thu - Dermatology Specialist, MEDLATEC General Hospital said: "For many people, autoimmune diseases are still unfamiliar when mentioned. However, currently, autoimmune diseases are increasingly increasing and becoming more common in clinical practice. However, this group of diseases with non-specific symptoms, easily confused with other diseases, is easily overlooked."

After 1 year of strictly following the treatment regimen prescribed by MEDLATEC doctors, the symptoms of the disease were gradually controlled. However, this is a group of diseases that are difficult to cure completely, patients need to maintain a long-term treatment regimen.

Autoimmune diseases: Common but still difficult to diagnose

Autoimmune diseases are caused by the immune system losing the ability to distinguish the body's own antigens from harmful external agents. This means that the body produces antibodies against its own organs, while harmful viruses/bacteria are not prevented from entering.

Common autoimmune diseases in clinical practice include: Systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis...

Lupus erythematosus is one of the most common autoimmune diseases (Illustration)

According to Dr. Tran Thi Thu, some risk factors that increase the likelihood of autoimmune diseases include:

Genetics: Many studies show that the rate of disease in patients whose parents have the disease is 2-3 times higher than in other cases.

Viruses/bacteria: Certain viruses (hepatitis B, C, Influenzae...), bacteria (Chlamydia, E.coli...).

Gender: According to statistics, nearly 80% of cases are in women, of which about 2/3 are in the age group over 30 and middle age.

Unhealthy diet and lifestyle: Regular smoking, alcohol, stimulants, work stress, staying up late for long periods of time... are factors that increase the risk of disease.

Polluted living and working environment: Regular exposure to many toxic chemicals such as pesticides, mercury, lead, etc. can directly affect the immune system.

Symptoms may vary from patient to patient, however some of the most common clinical symptoms are:

Early stage: Unexplained persistent fatigue.

Acute phase: Persistent fever, body aches, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, hot swelling in joints, joint effusion, hair loss, skin rash, mouth ulcers...

Without timely intervention and treatment, autoimmune disease symptoms become increasingly complicated. In many cases, the joints become deformed, curved or enlarged, affecting the patient's ability to grip and walk, even risking lifelong disability. In addition, the disease can cause a number of dangerous complications such as atherosclerosis, kidney failure, and cardiovascular disease.

MEDLATEC: Address for diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases with leading experts

Autoimmune diseases are complex diseases that require specialized diagnostic tools. To avoid misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis, people should visit reputable medical facilities for timely treatment and to avoid unwanted complications.

Among the facilities with full capacity to diagnose and treat autoimmune diseases, MEDLATEC Healthcare System with nearly 30 years of experience has become a trusted address chosen by many people.

The unit owns 5 quality "plus points" including:

Gathering a team of experts, leading doctors specializing in immunology - allergy and general multi-specialty in general, ready to serve people with the most dedicated medical ethics and attitude;

Reliable testing quality, internationally recognized thanks to the parallel application of two strict quality management standards of the United States (CAP) and ISO 15189:2012;

Modern, high-tech testing center following international procedures at MEDLATEC helps people feel secure about accurate results for diagnosis and treatment of diseases.