ASIA syndrome

ASIA syndrome

ASIA stands for A utoimmune/inflammatory S yndrome I nduced by A djuvants. This is a controversial concept suggesting that certain environmental exposures (infections, vaccines, adjuvants, silicone, and drugs) can act as an adjuvant stimulating the innate immune system, resulting in symptoms and/or subsequent stimulation of the adaptive immune system leading to autoantibodies and/or an autoimmune disease. In patients who already have a defined autoimmune disease, these adjuvants may exacerbate their disease. Because this only occurs in a small fraction of patients exposed to these adjuvants, causality is difficult to prove.

The proposed diagnostic criteria are: (1) development of symptoms (muscle, joint, fatigue, demyelination, cognitive impairment, pyrexia) or (2) development of an undifferentiated CTD and/or autoantibodies within proximity to exposure to an adjuvant. Some examples are:

  • • Immunizations: associated with causing demyelinating syndromes, reactive arthritis, and small vessel vasculitis. Recombinant hepatitis B vaccination has been associated with a higher than expected number of rheumatic disorders including vasculitis (especially central retinal vein occlusion), RA, SLE, reactive arthritis, as well as various demyelination syndromes. These rheumatic disorders occur within 1 to 2 months of the first, second, or third vaccination. Unlike other typical side effects of an immunization, these rheumatic disorders may not resolve.
  • • Silicone: breast implants (especially those that ruptured) and oil injections for cosmetic purposes have been reported to cause scleroderma-like diseases. Very controversial.
  • • Alum adjuvant: aluminum in vaccines has been associated with causing the macrophage myofasciitis syndrome.
  • • Gulf War syndrome: soldiers exposed to multiple vaccinations in a short period of time developed fibromyalgia-like symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. All patients had antisqualene antibodies.
  • • Case reports of parvovirus infection with arthritis evolving into RA, EBV infection evolving into SLE, and procainamide exposure triggering SLE that does not resolve with drug withdrawal.
15585

Sign up to receive the trending updates and tons of Health Tips

Join SeekhealthZ and never miss the latest health information

15856