Autoimmunity in gastrointestinal diseases.

This article is an update on the importance of some gastrointestinal diseases such ulcerative colitis, coeliac disease and some types of diarrhoea, in preceding an autoimmune response. A correlation with autoimmune disease without digestive symptoms, is made (rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, ankylosing spondylitis, and so on). Recognising such interrelations should be followed by search of extradigestive symptoms of autoimmune gastrointestinal diseases, allowing a better understanding of the immunologic phenomena involved.