What is Mixed Connective Tissue Disease

Mixed connective tissue disease is a clinical syndrome in which serum contains high titers of speckled antinuclear and anti-U1RNP antibodies, with a combination of symptoms of various diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Common clinical symptoms of mixed connective tissue disease include finger swelling, Raynaud’s phenomenon, joint and lung damage, skin rash, etc. The exact cause of the disease is not yet clear, and it may be caused by immune dysfunction due to the immunopathological process, and the classification criteria are complicated, which need to be analyzed step by step by combining the patient’s clinical symptoms, signs and symptoms, laboratory tests, imaging tests and other factors. The treatment of mixed connective tissue disease is based on drug therapy, which aims to control the development of the disease and relieve the symptoms. Common drugs include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin, anti-malarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, glucocorticoid drugs such as prednisone acetate tablets, immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide and azathioprine, and calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine. The above drugs must be used under medical supervision. It is recommended that patients with mixed connective tissue disease go to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of regular hospitals for relevant consultation.