The terms, in plain language.
This is a starting set. New terms are added as they come up across the site. If there's a term you want defined, email DoctorSarah@holisticautoimmune.com and I'll add it.
Anti-CCP · lab marker
An antibody that's highly specific for rheumatoid arthritis.
Short for "anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody." It's one of the most useful labs in rheumatology because a positive anti-CCP almost always means rheumatoid arthritis — and it can be positive years before joint symptoms appear. Helps with both diagnosis and predicting how aggressive the disease will be.
ANA · lab marker
A broad screening test for autoimmune disease.
Short for "antinuclear antibody." A positive ANA means your immune system is making antibodies against parts of your own cells. It's often positive in lupus, scleroderma, Sjögren's, and mixed connective tissue disease. About 5% of healthy people also have a positive ANA, so the pattern and titer (concentration) matter more than just "positive vs negative."
Autoantibody · immune concept
An antibody that attacks your own body.
Antibodies normally target threats like viruses and bacteria. In autoimmune disease, the immune system makes antibodies that recognize parts of your own body as foreign and attacks them. Different autoimmune diseases produce different characteristic autoantibodies — anti-CCP in RA, anti-dsDNA in lupus, anti-Ro/SSA in Sjögren's.
Biologic · medication class
A targeted medication made from living cells, designed to block one specific part of the immune system.
Examples include TNF inhibitors (adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept), IL-6 blockers (tocilizumab), IL-17 blockers (secukinumab), and B-cell depleters (rituximab). Biologics have transformed rheumatology — many patients on biologics achieve clinical remission. They're given by injection or infusion, not pills.
CRP · lab marker
A blood test for inflammation.
Short for "C-reactive protein." Made by the liver in response to inflammation. Rises during active autoimmune disease, infection, or injury. The high-sensitivity version (hs-CRP) detects lower levels and is the most useful for tracking chronic inflammation over time.
Cytokine · immune concept
A small signaling molecule the immune system uses to communicate.
Cytokines tell immune cells where to go, when to attack, when to calm down. In autoimmune disease, certain cytokines are persistently elevated — TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17 — and drive most of the inflammation. Modern biologics work by blocking specific cytokines.
DMARDs · medication class
Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs — medications that slow or stop autoimmune disease progression.
"Conventional" DMARDs include methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and sulfasalazine — older oral medications, often the first line of treatment. "Biologic" DMARDs (see Biologic above) are newer, more targeted. The goal of any DMARD is to put the disease into remission, not just treat symptoms.
EDC · environment concept
Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical — a chemical that interferes with hormone signaling.
EDCs include BPA (from food can linings and some plastics), phthalates (from fragrance and PVC), PFAS ("forever chemicals" from non-stick coatings and packaging), and pesticide residues. They mimic hormones, disrupt thyroid function, and can amplify the inflammation behind autoimmune disease. Reduction is one of the most actionable lifestyle pieces.
ESR · lab marker
An older blood test for inflammation, still useful in specific conditions.
Short for "erythrocyte sedimentation rate" — measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube of blood. Faster settling means more inflammation. Less specific than CRP, but still the standard for monitoring polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis.
HOMA-IR · lab calculation
A calculation that detects insulin resistance, often years before diabetes.
Stands for "Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance." Calculated from fasting glucose and fasting insulin. Detects metabolic dysfunction long before standard labs (A1c, fasting glucose) show anything wrong — which matters because insulin resistance amplifies autoimmune disease activity.
Coming soon: Definitions for additional terms across labs (RF, complement, dsDNA, anti-Scl-70, MDA5), medications (methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, rituximab, JAK inhibitors), and concepts (synovitis, enthesitis, dactylitis, photosensitivity, lipid paradox). If you have a term you want defined, email DoctorSarah@holisticautoimmune.com.