mixed connective tissue disease


mixed connective tissue disease

 a combination of scleroderma, myositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis, and marked serologically by the presence of antibody against extractable nuclear antigen.

mixed connective tissue disease

A connective tissue disease with features of SLE, dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis Clinical Pleuritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, sclerodactyly, good response to steroids Lab MCTD has a unique speckled nucleolar pattern due to presence of a specific circulating antibodies to ribonucleoprotein; no antibodies to double-stranded DNA and Sm antigen. See Antinuclear antibodies, 'Chinese menu' diseases, Overlap syndrome.

mix·ed con·nec·tive tis·sue dis·ease

(mikst kŏ-nek'tiv tish'ū di-zēz') Disorder with overlapping features of various systemic connective-tissue diseases and with serum antibodies to nuclear ribonucleoprotein.

mixed connective tissue disease

A condition that combines some of the features of SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, POLYMYOSITIS and progressive SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS. The blood contains high levels of ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODY. There are skin changes similar to DERMATOMYOSITIS, swelling of the fingers with RAYNAUD'S phenomenon, muscle weakness and arthritis involving several joints. The condition responds well to treatment with corticosteroid drugs and the outlook is favourable.