mixed connective tissue disease
Last reviewed 01/2018
This is described as a disease that combines features of two or more of the following connective tissue disorders:
- dermatomyositis
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- scleroderma
In mixed connective tissue disease there is a high incidence of:
- Raynaud's phenomenon
- myositis
- arthralgia
- erosive arthritis
- hypergammaglobulinameia
- oesophageal dysmotility
There is often a high titre against an extractable nuclear antigen (ENA - ribonuclear protein) and low titres against DNA.
The natural history of this condition is generally the slow evolution into one of the other inflammatory connective tissue syndromes, such as SLE, scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis.