Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): A disease that can cause inflammation of the connective tissue in every organ of the body, from the brain, skin, blood, to the lungs.
Overview. Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) has signs and symptoms of a combination of disorders — primarily lupus, scleroderma, and polymyositis. Many people with this uncommon disease also have Sjogren's syndrome. For this reason, mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is sometimes called an overlap disease.
Lupus, for example, can damage the skin, heart, lungs, and more. Most autoimmune diseases cause inflammation. But the symptoms they cause depend on the body parts affected. You can have pain in your joints or muscles.
In autoimmune disorders, inflammation and the immune response may result in connective tissue damage, not only in and around joints but also in other tissues, including vital organs, such as the kidneys and organs in the gastrointestinal tract.
Your body is held together by tissues that connect all of the structures in your body. When you have a connective tissue disease, these connecting structures are negatively affected. Connective tissue diseases include autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and lupus.
In autoimmune diseases, the body attacks normal, healthy tissues. The cause is unknown. It is probably a combination of a person's genes and something in the environment that triggers those genes.
Marfan syndrome, also called arachnodactyly (“spider fingers”), is the most common of the hereditary disorders of connective tissue, having an estimated prevalence of about 15 cases per 1,000,000 population.
Doctors suspect mixed connective tissue disease when symptoms of lupus, systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis overlap. Blood tests are done to detect levels of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and an antibody to ribonucleoprotein (RNP), which are present in most people who have mixed connective tissue disease.
Inflammation is associated with diseases such as the following: Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. Gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease.
Fibromyalgia is one of a group of chronic pain disorders or syndromes that affect connective tissues, including the muscles, ligaments (the tough bands of tissue that bind together the ends of bones), and tendons (which attach muscles to bones).
Whatever the cause, relapsing polychondritis is thought to be an autoimmune disease – a disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissue. In this case the immune system targets the cartilage.
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are rare hereditary disorders of connective tissue that result in unusually flexible joints, very elastic skin, and fragile tissues. These syndromes are caused by a defect in one of several genes that control the production of connective tissue.
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, joint pains, weakness and skin rashes on your face, neck and upper body. Scleroderma: Abnormal thickening and hardening of your skin, underlying tissue and organs. Polymyositis: Muscle inflammation (swelling).
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is increased among patients with CTDs. The active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) is a potent regulator of the immune system and may suppress inflammatory responses.
During the physical exam, your doctor may check you for swollen hands and painful, swollen joints. You might also need a blood test to check for a certain antibody that is associated with mixed connective tissue disease.
Some common autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes mellitus, are relatively easy to diagnose, while others, such as vasculitis, Addison's disease, lupus, and other rheumatic diseases, are more difficult.
The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system. This may happen more often in people who have genes that make them more prone to autoimmune disorders.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Based on research to date, having RA may decrease life expectancy by a decade or more. RA is one of a number of autoimmune disorders called rheumatic diseases, or musculoskeletal conditions marked by inflammation.
Mild Fever
If you're running a higher temperature than normal, it could be that your immune system is starting to overwork. That can happen due to an oncoming infection or because you're starting to have a flare of an autoimmune condition.
Some of these "SLE mimickers" are very common, such as rosacea which can be mistaken for the butterfly rash, while others such as Kikuchi disease, type-1 interferonopathies, Castleman's disease, prolidase deficiency, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, Evans' syndrome in the context of primary immune deficiencies and ...
Inflammation is the immune system's response to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, toxic compounds, or irradiation [1], and acts by removing injurious stimuli and initiating the healing process [2]. Inflammation is therefore a defense mechanism that is vital to health [3].