The Autoimmune Connection

February 1, 2003
Diagnosed with hypothyroidism over 20 years ago, veteran medical writer Baron-Faust (Being Female) vowed to write a book on the broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases that uniquely affect women, owing to the interplay of the immune system and hormones. Coauthored with distinguished New York rheumatologist Buyon, her comprehensive guide covers some 20 diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis, myasthenia gravis, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, vasculitis, and premature ovarian failure. It also addresses in a single chapter some disorders that often "travel" with autoimmune diseases (e.g., chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and endometriosis), which can further downgrade a patient's quality of life. Each chapter includes signs, diagnosis/tests, current and future treatments, and the female factor, e.g., how female hormones, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause affect the course of the disease. Included are patient stories to illustrate how perplexing these diseases can be to diagnose and treat. The final chapter offers suggestions on the specialists who typically treat each disorder and ways to become an empowered patient. Pointedly, the authors have chosen not to discuss complementary or alternative medicine approaches but do caution those considering such therapies to proceed with care. Although the authors include a five-page list of contributors who "provided peer review on the rapidly evolving subject of women and autoimmunity" and frequently discuss studies from medical journals, they offer no exact citations either as footnotes or as a reference list for further consultation. Still, these disorders can pose unique treatment challenges for women, and the up-to-date information provided here will be welcome in most women's health collections.-Lisa McCormick, Jewish Hosp., Cincinnati

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.