?Possible genetic connection between scleroderma, coeliac disease and ulcerative colitis

[bealepup]

Does anyone know if there could be a connection between these auto immune diseases. I have scleroderma and secondary Raynaulds and I have one grandaughter with Coeliac, dignosed at 3 years old, her sister has just been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis aged 16. My mother had fibromyalgia and Raynauds and we are wonderingif there could be a link between all of this. Any comments welcome.

[dramatic]

I think if there is a tendany towards autoimmune diseases in a family it is less surprising when someone is diagnosed. My daughter has scleroderma, my father in law had rheumatoid arthritis, my mother has had sarcoidosis and brother has psoriasis plus my other daughter has serious allergies, so although different illnesses all have autoimmune roots.

[MEW53]

What a family combination, I have Myositis with scleroderma, my two sisters have Multiple Sclerosis and have had it for over 40 years. I did ask the consultant a year ago if ther was any connection, but he thought not.

Strange how families can get strange combinations of diseases!

Must be the genes!

[zenabb]

I understand your question, but I don't think that research has reached that level of sophistication.

[Typicalmommy]

None of my family have any immune issues just me so I personally don't think its genetic x

[tall-tim]

Hello BealePup,

There is speculation in the world of alternative medicine about the link between auto-immune diseases and intestinal health. There are theories about what they call 'leaky gut syndrome' and how it may be to do with damage caused by antibiotics on the intestinal flora of the gut, with knock-on effects on the auto-immune systems as proteins and microbes from food leak into the blood stream via the gut and lead to auto-immune flare-ups as the body struggles continually to deal with these out-of-place agents. I don't find this implausible, and perhaps ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease are related to this syndrome. Of course, genetic or epigenetic factors may predispose someone towards gut and digestion problems. It's worth reading up and deciding for yourself whether to go down the recommended course of treatment to mend the gut. I am keeping an open mind - so far (as far as I can determine) my guts are holding up. It is certainly true that our digestive tract is one of the rocks on which our general health is founded.

Wikipedia will give you a flavour of the official reactions to this concept, but Google will lead you further. Good luck.

Best wishes,

Tim