Introduction The autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are uncommon constellations of organ-specific autoimmune diseases characterized by the occurrence of more than one autoimmune disease in an affected individual ( Table 22.1 ). Although autoimmune endocrine disorders commonly affect single organs, multiorgan…
Abstract Background The adrenal cortex produces three types of steroid hormones: mineralocorticoids, which regulate sodium and water balance; glucocorticoids, which stimulate glucose production and suppress immune function; and adrenal androgens, which influence sexual differentiation. All three types of adrenocortical steroids…
Abstract Background The anterior and posterior lobes of the pituitary gland control processes vital for survival of the individual and the species. Although growth in infancy and childhood depend on nutrition, genetics, and environment, thyroid hormone and growth hormone (GH)…
Key Points Autoimmune disorders frequently affect the skin, gastrointestinal, and hepatobiliary systems; the kidney; the endocrine system; and the nervous system. The dominant clinical feature of organ-specific autoimmune disease is chronic inflammation, generally localized in a single organ specific for…