Diseases do not affect men and women the same: when faced with the same pathology, the female and male organism can respond in very different ways. In the case of the autoimmune diseasesthis difference is especially marked. But what are the biological reasons that explain this variability?
Hospital professionals Barcelona Clinic They point out that factors such as biological sex (i.e., the one assigned at birth), the sex hormones and the gender roles They determine both the risk of developing certain diseases and the way in which the body responds to infections, treatments or vaccines.
Furthermore, the immune systemresponsible for defending the body against external agents, does not work in the same way in men and women.
Significant difference: 80% of autoimmune diseases are diagnosed in women
In the womenthe immune response is usually more intense and effective. This translates into a greater ability to fight infections, which tend to be less frequent or severe.
It also explains why women tend to respond better to vaccines, as was observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, when with similar access to the health system, severity and mortality rates were lower in women than in men.
However, this greater activity of the immune system has a counterpart. Being more reactive, it also increases the risk that it becomes deregulated and ends up attacking the body itselfwhich leads to diseases autoimmune or inflammatory.
Therefore, autoimmune diseases, such as lupus o to rheumatoid arthritisare much more common in women. It is estimated, in fact, that around 80% of these disorders are diagnosed in them.
What factors influence autoimmune diseases?
Regarding the factors that explain why autoimmune diseases affect men and women differently, the biological sex It is one of the most important, since it entails variations in genetic expression.
These influence the number and type of immune cells present in the body, which gives rise to differentiated immune responses.
Added to this are the sex hormonesalso determining factors in these differences. For example, testosterone, predominant in men, has an immunosuppressive effect, which reduces the activity of certain defensive cells. Consequently, the Men may be more vulnerable to some infections.
Lastly, the gender – understood as the set of social and cultural roles associated with a person – also has a direct impact.
Women tend to take on care tasks to a greater extent, which increases their exposure to infections, especially in children. On the other hand, certain professions that are more widespread among men, such as mining, increase the risk of lung diseases such as silicosis.
Furthermore, gender roles have influenced the development and approach to diseases, by conditioning medical decisions and access to the health system.
Despite growing knowledge, there are still few studies that specifically analyze the development of diseases according to sex regarding these differences.
Progress in this area will be key to developing a more personalized medicinecapable of offering diagnoses and treatments adapted to the characteristics of each person.
Aitana Palomar S., La Vanguardia
