(3) Hence, there will be an occurrence of different types of autoimmune diseases within the family.
This possibility is also supported by the study of Alarcón-Segovia et al which is the Familial aggregation of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases in 1,177 lupus patients from the GLADEL cohort. In this study they were able to determine that there is a familial aggregation of Systemic Lupus Erythematous and of Rheumatoid Arthritis in SLE patients. This was supported by their research results wherein 166 (14.1%) of their SLE patients had relatives with an autoimmune disease (SLE, RA, autoimmune thyroiditis, or other), and 42 of 166 patients (25%) had at least 2 relatives with an autoimmune disease (the same or different ones); 1 patient had 5 affected relatives (4 first-degree [2 with RA, 1 with SLE, 1 with autoimmune thyroiditis] and 1 third-degree [RA]). Furthermore under an earlier, smaller study they found out that those patients with Systemic Erythematous have family histories of autoimmune disease, including SLE (18%), RA (11%), and Hashimoto thyroiditis
(2%).
Also, their study results showed that the main influence in family aggregation of autoimmune disease is the degree of familial relatedness (3) which is applicable to Miss MC’s condition.
1. http://www.medicinenet.com/systemic_lupus/page2.htm#what_causes_systemic_lupus_erythematosus_is_lupus_hereditary
2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.20999/full
3. http://chemport.cas.org/cgi-bin/sdcgi?APP=ftslink&action=reflink&origin=wiley&version=1%2E0&coi=1%3ACAS%3A528%3ADC%2BD3MXhs1Smu7Y%3D&md5=445c8b26b8cd2d3e51f04beef7c39448