Does Eczema count as autoimmune?

Mat48

Having had severe eczema all my life from the age of 3 to about 45 (am 51 next week) I have been wondering if this might be connected to my RA/ Hypothyroidism/ autoimmune status. I'm asking because my 21 year old son has extremely bad eczema, just as I had at his age. I'm also presently trying to get to grips with hives and itchy scalp and extremely dry eyes (tear production currently nearly non-existent). I feel as though I'm spinning in ever widening circles collecting new symptoms on the way and also gathering up some old ones that I had hoped were long since burried!

Realise that Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition but not sure about eczema? Worried that my son might get RA as he doesn;t look after himself well - drinks too much and smokes too (as I did at his age but only a little).

Son saw his dermatologist a few months ago and she asked him about his family history because, after a thorough patch test and blood tests they can find no specific allergy triggers for his condition. So he told her about my eczema and the fact that I've now got RA (and probable secondary Sjogrens) and she was very interested and said that research is currently ongoing to find out how eczema and asthma may relate to autoimmune conditions. I wrote to the eczema society to ask if they know anything about this research but haven't heard anything back yet.

dreamdaisy

I've always regarded it as such because my system would over-react to triggers that didn't bother others and it still does. Asthma and eczema ran in my mother's family whilst my dad's side specialised in psoriasis. Similar to auto-immune arthritis stress can also aggravate these conditions. DD

PS If your son is going to get summat he will - I bet there are teetotal and non-smoking monks who have RA. Some of life's bullets cannot be dodged.

Mat48

I agree re son and "life's bullets" I recall a Canadian maths teacher who jogged and was anti smoking health freak but he died in his 40s of lung cancer. My son also has Aspergers which affects communication a lot. But he's clever and if I can warn him that he's more at risk than most then it might influence his decision making and lifestyle for the better. Probably not but its worth a try!

I have always felt that my history of eczema must closely connect to my propensity to autoimmune conditions. My dad had severe gout and diabetes type 2 but neither parents, sisters or cousins have had eczema - well not in my league anyway! X

Starburst

I was told that it is thought to be related to the immune system but not yet formally recognised as autoimmune. I imagine they may eventually find that it is AI thought. I also have eczema, asthma and hay fever which are apparently a very common trio. Basically everyone in my family on my dad's side has all 3 of the aforementioned conditions.

Mat48

My dad's gout and diabetes and my hypothyroidism definitely contributed to my GP's conviction that I had RA but my history of eczema hasn't ever been mentioned. I guess I just got used to self administering meds for it and rarely saw the doctors - just had repeat prescriptions and the odd course of systemic steroids and a couple of hospital stays as an inpatient when it gave me blood poisoning (art student using oil paint - not a great idea with open wounds on hands!). Having had a few years off it I'm not delighted to be itchy and dry again though. X

Starburst

This might interest you.

Eczema is not directly caused by an autoimmune disorder, but some forms have been associated with such disorders. Atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema, stems from an immune system imbalance. Researchers have determined that people with atopic dermatitis have low levels of a protein needed to promote healthy immune system function. This makes your skin more susceptible to infection and unable to prevent inflammation. Allergic reactions can be considered autoimmune responses because the body reacts against its own tissues, producing itching and rashes. Consult a dermatologist for more information.

stickywicket

As I understand it, Mat, eczema and asthma are auto-immune conditions just like RA etc though there is no saying you'll get them, or any other auto-immune stuff, just because there's a genetic history of it. However, you're more likely to inherit a tendency towards auto-immune problems than someone with no family history of such.

As I recall, your son is a student and they are not renowned for looking after themselves :roll: Still, judging by my own experiences, both as a mother and as a daughter, a nagging mother will produce exactly the opposite result from the one she is hoping to achieve.

Most students drink too much. Undesirable though it is healthwise, I don't think there's any connection between that and RA but there is between smoking and RA and also between smoking and having 'worse' RA. http://www.nras.org.uk/about_rheumatoid_arthritis/living_with_rheumatoid_arthritis/lifestyle/smoking/smoking_rheumatoid_arthritis.aspx
Quite how you get a young smoker to accept that is beyond me. One of my sons smoked until he was about 25-30 when he suddenly decided it was a stupid idea.

Mat48

Well SW it would be exptremely uphill as he will only eat certain coloured foods - mostly brown and red and no veg so haven't even succeeded in healthy eating with this eldest son

But on the plus side his girlfriend of 4 years hates smoking and he pleads with us not to let on! He's just getting mature enough now that I can talk to him about health and because we share the eczema I might be able to sow seeds re the link between RA and smoking. But lecturing is a total no no I agree. My mum was always on about my weight and even in my forties I was rebelling - so pointless really but since her death four years ago I've been released from this stupid imperative to remain fat and have list quite a bit of weight now. Hope it doesn't take my untimely demise to get sons to quit smoking and eat better!