Mixed connective tissue disease

Intern Med. 1999 May;38(5):386-93. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.38.386.

Abstract

Mixed connective tissue disease deserves to be a distinct disease entity due to the persistent citation of this disease in the literature since the original description by Sharp in 1972, in spite of the presence of several criticisms against the independency of this disease. The characteristic features of mixed connective tissue disease are: 1) the presence of anti-U1snRNP antibody with high titers in sera, 2) an increased frequency of HLA-DR4 in the leukocytes, and 3) death due to pulmonary hypertension.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / analysis
  • HLA-DR4 Antigen / analysis
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / mortality
  • Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / classification
  • Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / diagnosis*
  • Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear / immunology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • HLA-DR4 Antigen
  • Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear