UNDIFFERENTIATED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE

Course overview

UNDIFFERENTIATED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE IS A CLINICAL ENTITY DEFINED AS SEROLOGICAL AND CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, HOWEVER, NOT FULFILLING ANY CRITERIA OF DEFINED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE. THIS DISEASE IS CONSIDERED A DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION. THE PRESENTING SYMPTOMS CAN SUGGEST ANY OTHER CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE SO THAT THE PRESENTATION CAN VARY WIDELY AMONG PATIENTS. UP TO 90% OF THE CASES ARE FEMALES BETWEEN 32 AND 44 YEARS OLD. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF UNDIFFERENTIATED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.