SARDs are a group of autoimmune diseases that include:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that produces stiffness, pain, loss of mobility, inflammation, and erosion of the joints. The disease typically affects multiple joints symmetrically and can produce other symptoms, including fatigue, fever, the development of nodules under the skin, and malaise. In addition, individuals with RA may develop anemia and other systemic complications. Although RA can affect anyone at any age, it tends to develop between the ages of 40 and 60, with over 70% of those affected being women. Over 1.3 million people in the United States have RA; if left untreated, the disease can shorten a person's lifespan and leave many affected people too disabled to work. The course of RA and its prognosis vary and may progress slowly or rapidly. Moreover, it may go into remission in some people and, in a few, disappear.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other subsets of lupus
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder in which the immune system produces autoantibodies to different cellular components such as DNA, histones, etc. The disorder may affect the skin, joints, blood vessels, and internal organs, especially the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. There are several types of lupus, but the most common is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which affects many areas of the body. Lupus is much more common in women and persons of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American descent. SLE is most frequently seen in people between 15 and 45, although younger children and older adults can also have the disorder.
Sjögren's syndrome (SjS)
Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks tissue in glands that produce moisture, such as tear and salivary glands. The disorder is a chronic inflammatory disease that often progresses to a more complex, systemic disorder affecting other tissues and organs. Sjögren's syndrome is characterized by an unusual infiltration of lymphocytes in glands such as tear and salivary glands. Although Sjögren's syndrome can affect anyone at any age, the majority of those afflicted are older than 40, and women are nine times more likely than men to have the disorder.
