The overwhelming majority of people with UCTD do not develop major organ damage or a life-threatening disease. The hallmark of UCTD is its mild course and low likelihood of progression to a more serious state.

Is UCTD a real disease?

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is type of autoimmune disease , which means that the immune system malfunctions and mistakenly “attacks” a person’s own healthy tissues . However, like many autoimmune diseases, the reason a person develops UCTD is not known.

What does a UCTD flare feel like?

For many people with UCTD, the main signs are achy joints and arthritis in the elbows, wrists, hands, and knees in a symmetrical pattern, says Dr. Lockshin. People with UCTD generally don’t have as much swelling and the pain is transient. “Some days are good, other days aren’t so good,” he explains.

Can UCTD be cured?

It is important to recognize that there is no cure for UCTD. Therefore, early recognition and treatment of the disease is essential. In addition, because it is a chronic disease, people often require medical therapy for many years.

How long can you live with connective tissue disease?

Since MCTD is comprised of a number of connective tissue disorders, there are many different possible outcomes, depending on the organs affected, the degree of inflammation, and how quickly the disease progresses. With proper treatment, 80% of people survive at least 10 years after diagnosis.

Does UCTD cause hair loss?

Hair loss has been reported in several other CTDs, including mixed and undifferentiated CTDs, and primary Sjögren’s syndrome, although it is likely to be underestimated in such diseases.

What is the life expectancy of someone with mixed connective tissue disease?

The overall 10-year survival rate of the disease is about 80%. Some people have symptom-free periods lasting for many years with no treatment. Despite treatment, the disease gets worse in about 13% of people and can cause potentially fatal complications in six to 12 years.

Does UCTD weaken your immune system?

In UCTD, autoimmunity may cause the immune system to attack specific parts of the body, resulting in a variety of problems. The phrase “connective tissue disease” is used to describe the diseases of the immune system that are treated primarily by rheumatologists.

Is connective tissue disease fatal?

Mixed connective tissue disease can lead to serious complications, some of which can be fatal. Complications include: High blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension). This condition is a major cause of death in people with mixed connective tissue disease.

Can connective tissue disease affect the brain?

The abnormal immune reaction causes inflammation of and damage to various body parts and can affect joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and the brain.

What is worse lupus or mixed connective tissue disease?

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), a chronic disorder that has overlapping features of two or more systemic rheumatic disorders, is a relatively stable disease that is milder than systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis, new research from Norway shows.

Can you live a normal life with mixed connective tissue disease?

What is the difference between UCTD and MCTD?

More in Arthritis. Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) are conditions that have some similarities to other systemic autoimmune or connective tissue diseases, but there are distinctions which make them different.

What is undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD)?

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) are conditions that have some similarities to other systemic autoimmune or connective tissue diseases, but there are distinctions that make them different. When the criteria for named autoimmune diseases are not met, the condition is defined as UCTD.

What treatments are used in the treatment of UCTD?

Most therapies used are ones physicians have found to be effective in other connective tissue diseases. However, it is unknown to what degree a particular therapy improves the symptoms of UCTD or decreases the rate of flare or the likelihood of evolution to a more defined connective tissue disease.

What causes UCTD and how is it caused?

However, like many autoimmune diseases, the reason a person develops UCTD is not known. Researchers suspect that both genes and environmental triggers interact to cause a person to develop UCTD. [2]