Inflamatory Disease - Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Disease: Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Common Name: Just an abbreviation. GBS
Age of Onset: The syndrome does not affect one age over another.
Duration: The syndrome lasts a few weeks to a few years depending on severity and treatment.
More Common in ...: It does not affect one group more than another.
Cause: The specific cause of GBS is unknown, but it is most common after the victim recovers from a viral disease. The body mistakes its own cells for diseased cells and proceeds to attack them. The myelin surrounding nerve cells is eaten away untill the nerve fiber is exposed. Typically vaccinations trigger the malicious autoimmune cells, but doctors have not been able to pin down the exact cause.
Symptoms: GBS is fisrt felt in the form of weakness in the lower limbs. This weakness travels upwards into the arms and facial muscles. The victim will be prone to collapsing and may feel numb all over. There could be a loss of bladder control and a loss of pain. Respiratory problems could occur if the syndrome is severe.
Prognosis: As previously stated, the disease first manifests as a feeling of weakness in the legs. The weakness travels upward in the following days until it reaches the head. The above symptoms can occur in the next weeks but the entire syndrome runs itself out in about one month unless other nervous problems already exist.
Treatment Options: There is no known cure but there are many therapies that could aid in the recovery of the victim and lessen the severity of the symptoms. The patient will receive a high dose of immunoglobin to combat the damaged autoimmune cells. The patient may need a respirator and/or a heart monitor to help with normal body functioning. The main goal is to wait out the disease until it goes away.
Sources: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain-Barr%C3%A9_syndrome, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/guillain-barre-syndrome/DS00413

Muscle Disease - Polymyositis

• Disease Name: Polymyositis
  
• Common Name: This is a very rare disease, there is no common name.
  
• Age of Onset: Can happen at any time in life but mainly preys on people over the age of 40. The cause is unknown but may be related to autoimmune factors, genetics, and viruses.
  
• Duration: There is no known cure, but there are many treatments that can lessen the disease's effects.
  
• Common in...: The disease is more common in women and blacks.
• Causes: As stated before, the exact cause is unknown. It is considered an inflammatory myopathy which are sometimes caused by infectious viruses. Myopathies are classified with cancer as they spread from a point. The body mistakes healthy cells for foreign bodies and begins to attack them. This triggers reproduction of the diseased cells and the inflamed cells spread.
  
• Symptoms: Symptoms include progressive muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, muscle tenderness, and fatigue. The muscles of the trunk are affected the most. The skin of the fingers and palms become thicker also.
  
• Prognosis: The disease is first felt in fatigue and weakness. These symptoms get worse as the diseased muscle cells invade more of the organ. Eventually the above symptoms occur. The disease can go on to affect the cardiac, lung, joint, and gastrointestinal systems. The 5 year mortality rate is 20% mainly for heart failure. If you have this disease, it is important to start treatment early.
  
• Treatment Options: Corticosteroids - this suppresses the immune system and the cells become less inflamed. The doctor will start with a high dose and decrease dosage as the symptoms become less severe. Physical Therapy - This improves muscle fitness and flexibility. This does not cure the disease but it will help on the road to recovery. Plasmapheresis - this is when you do a blood transfusion to take out the harmful autoimmune cells. Radiation - radiation to the lymph notes can help by decreasing the number of immune cells produced. There are many more experimental treatments out there.
  
• Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polymyositis/DS00334, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymyositis, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/756355-overview, http://www.medicinenet.com/polymyositis/article.htm