Hashimoto's took decades to be accepted
Hakaru Hashimoto described a lymphocyte-filled, enlarged thyroid in 1912, writing in a German surgical journal. For decades afterwards, doctors argued over whether it was a separate disease or just a stage of Riedel's thyroiditis.
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Struma lymphomatosa. Ann Intern Med 1947;27:627Antibody factories from fused cells
Köhler and Milstein described the hybridoma method in 1975. By fusing antibody-producing cells with tumour cells, they created lasting factories for a single antibody specificity—a breakthrough recognised by the 1984 medicine Nobel.
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Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1984: Press releaseNerve injury followed EBV
In the longitudinal EBV–MS study, blood neurofilament light—a marker of nerve injury—increased only after EBV seroconversion. The sequence helped researchers examine what happened before MS emerged.
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Bjørnevik K et al. Science 2022;375:296–301Gout has a crystal trigger
Gout belongs in the inflammatory arthritis family, but its trigger is a build-up of urate crystals. The big toe is a familiar site—not a requirement, because other joints can be affected.
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healthdirect: GoutTolerance isn't only in the thymus
In 1995, Sakaguchi challenged the view that removing dangerous immune cells in the thymus explained tolerance. His work identified regulatory T cells that help restrain immune attacks elsewhere in the body.
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Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025: Press releaseBlood donors revealed preclinical RA
Stored blood donations let researchers look backwards before rheumatoid arthritis symptoms began. They tested earlier samples for rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP, showing how autoimmunity can be studied before clinical disease appears.
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Nielen MMJ et al. Arthritis Rheum 2004;50:380–6The virus signal before MS
In a large US military cohort, MS risk rose 32-fold following Epstein–Barr virus infection. The finding was not seen after cytomegalovirus infection. This striking association does not mean everyone with EBV will develop MS.
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Bjørnevik K et al. Science 2022;375:296–301A positive ANA can be healthy
At least 5% of healthy people can have a moderately positive ANA. This is why testing people without suggestive symptoms can create more diagnostic noise than clarity.
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RACGP: Antinuclear antibody testAutoantibodies can arrive years early
RA-associated autoantibodies have been detected in stored serum up to 10 years before symptoms. The immune process and the first painful joint need not begin at the same time.
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Nielen MMJ et al. Arthritis Rheum 2004;50:380–6A Nobel for immune restraint
The 2025 medicine Nobel recognised Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for discoveries about peripheral immune tolerance: mechanisms that stop the immune system damaging its own body.
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Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025: Press releaseMyasthenia can spare the heart
Myasthenia gravis can weaken the muscles used for breathing while sparing heart muscle. Its typical targets are voluntary muscles, including those controlling the eyelids, swallowing and limb movement.
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healthdirect: Myasthenia gravisOne clone, one antibody identity
A monoclonal antibody is not merely an antibody made in a laboratory. It comes from a single cell lineage: an antibody-producing cell and its descendants generate the same antibody molecule.
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Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1984: Press releaseOA care starts with the person's goals
RACGP's OA algorithm calls for an individualised plan: discuss treatment benefits, harms and costs, emphasise exercise and weight management, and agree goals that can be reviewed.
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RACGP knee and hip osteoarthritis guidelineOA diagnosis can be clinical
For a typical knee or hip presentation, RACGP describes a clinical OA pattern: age at least 45 years, activity-related pain and morning stiffness lasting under 30 minutes. Routine diagnostic imaging is not advised.
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RACGP knee and hip osteoarthritis guidelineA newborn's weakness may be temporary
A baby born to someone with myasthenia gravis can develop temporary neonatal myasthenia. This differs from inherited congenital myasthenia, which is not caused by autoimmunity.
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healthdirect: Myasthenia gravisYou're all caught up
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