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The early clinical features of MCTD are nonspecific and may include fatigue, low-grade fever, myalgias, Raynaud phenomenon, swelling of the fingers or hands, arthralgia, esophageal reflux or dysmotility, acrosclerosis (also known as sclerodactyly), mild myositis, and various forms of pulmonary involvement.
[3] [4] [5] The underlying mechanism involves the abnormal growth of connective tissue, which is believed to be the result of the immune system attacking healthy tissues. [6] Diagnosis is based on symptoms, supported by a skin biopsy or blood tests. [6] While no cure is known, treatment may improve symptoms. [2]
Connective tissue disease, also known as connective tissue disorder, or collagen vascular diseases, refers to any disorder that affects the connective tissue. [1] The body's structures are held together by connective tissues, consisting of two distinct proteins : elastin and collagen .
CREST is not easily diagnosed as it closely mimics symptoms of other connective tissue and autoimmune diseases. Diagnoses are usually given when a patient presents two or more of the five major clinical symptoms. [5] Additionally, blood exams can be given to test for a positive ANAs and ACAs or skin biopsies can be given to help confirm a ...
This is also the case of major rheumatic diseases whose early phase was defined by LeRoy et al [3] in 1980 as undifferentiated connective tissue disease. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), as it is an overlap syndrome.
Examples of overlap syndromes in rheumatology include mixed connective tissue disease and scleromyositis. Diagnosis depends on which diseases the patient shows symptoms and has positive antibodies for in their lab serology. In overlap syndrome, features of the following diseases are found (most common listed): [1] Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
The severity of these symptoms varies greatly among patients: Some having scleroderma of only a limited area of the skin (such as the fingers) and little involvement of the underlying tissue, while others have progressive skin involvement. [3] Digital ulcers—open wounds especially on fingertips and less commonly the knuckles—are not ...
Myxedema describes a specific form of cutaneous and dermal edema secondary to increased deposition of connective tissue components. The connective fibres are separated by an increased amount of protein and mucopolysaccharides. These can include glycosaminoglycans, such as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and other mucopolysaccharides. [2]