Module 2 Assignment: Immune System Disorders

Running head: MOD 2 ASSIGNMENT 1
Module 2 Assignment: Immune System Disorders
Your Name
Rasmussen College
NUR2063: Essentials of Pathophysiology
Instructor Desautels
Month Day, 2020

MOD 2 ASSIGNMENT 2
Module 2 Assignment: Immune System Disorders
Immune system disorders occur due to a dysregulation in the immune system resulting in
an abnormal immune response. There are several diseases that can result from this dysregulation
such as allergies and autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes
mellitus and systemic lupus erythematosus result from the immune system responding against its
own antigen or antigens. The autoimmune disease then occurs when the autoimmune response
leads to organ or tissue damage and the physiological function of the organ is disturbed. There is
certain criterion that has to be fulfilled to prove that the autoimmune disease resulted from an
immune response. Criteria such as prove that auto reactive T cells or autoantibodies with
specificity for the affected organ are found reliably in the disease. This essay will discuss type 1
diabetes mellitus as an autoimmune disease and explain its pathophysiology, its treatment and
expected outcomes (Mosaic of Autoimmunity, 2018).
Pathophysiology of type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from an autoimmune response that destroys the beta cells
of the pancreas leading to decreased production of insulin. Type 1 diabetes mellitus commonly
occurs in the age below 14 years and less commonly above this age and therefore it was
commonly referred as Juvenile diabetes. Due to destruction of the beta cells there are
consequently abnormally low levels of insulin and high levels of glucose in the blood (Paschou
et al. 2018). Insulin produced by these cells regulates the levels of glucose in blood by pumping
glucose into cells. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes infiltrate and cause macrophage activation in the
endocrine pancreas. Consecutively there is delayed type hypersensitivity that results into release
of cytokine and antibody release. Lytic enzymes and the released cytokines from the activated
macrophages cause destruction of beta cells of the pancreas. Beta cell specific antibodies can

MOD 2 ASSIGNMENT 3
mediate beta cell destruction either through antibody mediated compliment lysis or antibody
dependent cellular cytotoxicity. There is absolute insulin deficiency and therefore glucose
production by the liver is unopposed (Burrack, Martinov & Fife, 2017). This type of diabetes is
insulin dependent and therefore patients with this disease have to take insulin throughout their
life either by using insulin pumps or injections. The classic symptoms that a person with type
1diabetes mellitus would present with are polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia and unexplained
weight loss. Polyuria results from osmotic fluid loss because the maximum reabsorptive capacity
of the kidney tubules is exceeded leading to loss of glucose in urine. This phenomenon is known
as glycosuria and polydipsia occurs to replace the excess lost fluid and maintain fluid balance.
The person with type 1 diabetes mellitus loses weight because the body burning muscles and the
adipose tissue to counter the glucose insufficiency in the cells. Diabetic ketoacidosis,
retinopathy, diabetic foot and diabetic foot are some of the main complications associated with
type 1 diabetes mellitus (Jameson & Groot, 2015).
Treatment of type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
There are several treatment modalities that are available for treatment of type 1 diabetes
mellitus as it is a lifelong treatment that requires a multidisciplinary approach. A
multidisciplinary approach is required because there are several complications that can arise
from the disease and there different specialists such as ophthalmologists, renal physicians
dietitians are needed in the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. This patient use
insulin for life and many of them two or more injections with dose adjustments made according
to the blood glucose levels (Donner & Sarkar, 2019). Treating a type 1 diabetes mellitus patient
requires that age of the patient be highly considered when establishing glycemic goals, with
targets for bedtime, hemoglobin A1C and pre-prandial levels. The set objectives for these patients