Are there environmental forms of systemic autoimmune diseases?

A large number of drugs and an increasing number of environmental agents re portedly result in the appearance of a number of autoantibodies and in many instances in the appearance of a range of autoimmune clinical syndromes. T he major disorders so recognized have marked resemblances to the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus. The commonly used term is drug-induc ed lupus; a better term is drug-related lupus. There is considerable intere st at the present time in an increasing number of environmental agents. The re have been two epidemics in recent years-one in Spain to a contaminant of rapeseed oil and one in the United States to a contaminant of L-tryptophan that caused an eosinophilic myositis. It is important for physicians and o thers involved in health care to recognize the potential associations of th ese diseases of unknown cause or causes.