Is connective tissue disease serious?

Connective tissue disease. Many friends may feel unfamiliar when they hear about this disease for the first time. What is connective tissue disease? Is connective tissue disease serious? Today I will introduce to you some knowledge about connective tissue diseases. Connective tissue disease is actually a serious combination, but how serious is it? It can cause abnormal development of the human body and even seriously threaten human life.

1. Causes of connective tissue disease

The cause of connective tissue disease is still inconclusive. It may be based on genetic immune regulation dysfunction, which leads to the production of autoantibodies to damaged, degraded and mutated components of one's own tissues, thus causing an immunopathological process.

The cause of connective tissue disease is still unknown. Because connective tissue disease has mixed manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and systemic sclerosis, there is still controversy as to whether this disease is an independent disease or a different subtype of the same disease. However, in general, the autoimmune theory is recognized, that is, it is possible that on the basis of genetic immune regulation dysfunction, autoantibodies appear to the damaged, degenerated and mutated components of one's own tissues, thus causing immunopathological processes.

The specific reasons are:

1. Low T lymphocyte function

Genetic family analysis has shown that people with human leukocyte antigen-B8 (HLA-B8) are prone to mixed collagen disease and have low function of suppressor T lymphocytes (T8 cells). Some have suggested that B8 may be a marker for dysregulated immune response control. Suppressor T lymphocytes are related to the control of immune response genes. When T lymphocyte function is impaired, immune response genes lose control, resulting in immune disorders in the body (humoral immunity and cellular immunity disorders). When the function of suppressor T lymphocytes is impaired, it can cause hyperfunction of humoral immunity and hypofunction of cellular immunity. T8 cells can also suppress autoimmune reactivity. Once its function is impaired, autoantigen-antibody reactions may occur and immune complexes may be formed. The soluble immune complexes formed by excess antigens can circulate through the blood and reach other organs in the body, where they precipitate and cause tissue damage.

2. Viral infection

The mechanisms by which viral infection causes autoimmune dysfunction may include the following:

(1) The cytotoxic effect of virus-infected T cells is enhanced, leading to tissue cell destruction.

(2) The function of virus-infected T cells is suppressed, leading to enhanced antibody production by B cells.

2. Symptoms of connective tissue disease

The skin of people with connective tissue diseases can be pinched up a few centimeters but returns to normal when the pinch is released. Kyphoscoliosis was present in 5% of patients and chest deformity in 20%.

Symptoms and signs of connective tissue diseases vary widely and depend on the specificity of the mutated gene and the karyotype.

1. The skin can be pinched up several centimeters, but returns to normal after release. Broad, papery scars often cover bony prominences, especially at the elbows, knees, and shins. The degree of joint hypermobility varies, but is always quite noticeable. Only in a minority of patients do bleeding tendencies become troublesome. Warts (molluscum-like pseudotumors) often form on top of scars and at pressure sites. Subcutaneous calcified nodules can be palpated or diagnosed by radiology.

2. Minor wounds may cause larger open wounds, but with less bleeding. Since suturing easily tears fragile tissues, wound healing is difficult.

3. Kyphoscoliosis was found in 25% of patients, chest deformity in 20%, clubfoot in 5%, and congenital hip dislocation in 1%. 90% of adult patients have flat feet. Gastrointestinal hernias and diverticula are common. Spontaneous bleeding and partial perforation of the gastrointestinal tract occur rarely, as do rupture of aortic aneurysms and spontaneous rupture of the large arteries. A few have medullary sponge kidney.

4. The complications of connective tissue diseases are very serious. It can cause damage to multiple organs such as the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, and lungs, and can cause life-threatening conditions such as breathing difficulties, heart failure, and kidney failure.