What is a Connective Tissue Disease?
Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD) are a group of rare autoimmune diseases affecting the connective tissue of the body. The names of some of the diseases that belong to this group are: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren´s syndrome, scleroderma, limited systemic sclerosis (CREST), poly-/dermatomyositis and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD).
What are the symptoms?
Many times CTDs can affect just one or many different organs and therefore, various independent symptoms can occur.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Inflammatory disease that can involve of all organs
Sjögren´s Syndrome
Reduction or inabililty to produce tears or saliva, frequent eye infection, can result in blindness, can be difficult to speak or swallow
Scleroderma
Swollen face and hands in the morning, calcium deposits in the skin, ulcerations of the fingers, involvement of the lung in >60% of cases
CREST
Restricted to the fingers or distal limbs (not truncal), internal organ involvement restricted to gastrointestinal tract.
Dermatomyositis / Polymyositis
Muscle weakness in shoulders, pelvis or thighs (first symptoms), symmetric pain, in dermatomyositis: redness and swelling of the skin, soft tissue calcification, pain in joints, difficulties with speech and swallowing
MCTD
First symptoms: Muscle weakness, swollen hands and general swelling of the skin.
Please note that many of these diseases are very rare.
Should you suffer from similar symptoms, please consult your physician.
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