Question 1

what specialists can diagnose mixed connective tissue disease besides rheumatologists?

Accepted Answer

Any physician: It depends on the expertise. As a rheumatologist we  may not  necessarily have a  corner  on the market,  but depending on what signs  and symptoms the patient has they may be diagnosed  by other physicians. It is  important  to be clear  what the  true diagnosis is since  mctd people can have skin, joint, muscle, lung, heart,  kidney involvement to name some. It depends on the stage of the mctd.

Question 2

what specialists can diagnose mixed connective tissue disorder?

Accepted Answer

Rheumatologist: A rheumatologist is the specialist with the most in depth knowledge of connective tissue disorders. Caution: blood tests such as the rnp antibody do not diagnose mctd nor do they rule it out. The diagnosis must be made from the history and physical examination with blood tests playing a confirmatory role.

Question 3

appt in mo. for rheumatologist as pos ana 3 mos ago, muscles weaker, drop things, very strng knee reflx, maybe mixed connective tissue disease, ra, sjogren memory bad, bro w ms. nero? e.r.? 6 kids, xmas

Accepted Answer

Need a diagnosis: Lupus and sjogren's can mimic neurological effects of ms, and muscle weakness could be consistent with a myopathy, and perhaps you do have "mixed connective tissue" process.  But vigorous leg reflexes, memory issues, and brother's history raises concern about ms.  Would definitely start with the rheumatologist, and maybe get MRI of brain if needed.  If lesions, then work with neurology.

Question 4

if one with connective tissue disease is having a true flare up, could labs (other than +ana) be normal? and do rheumatologists have opposing views?

Accepted Answer

ANA: ANA is not a good measure of disease flare ups.  Sedimentation rate and CRP are blood tests that can go up with increases in inflammation in the body.

Question 5

do rheumatologists commonly see undiff connective tissue disease patients with  lots of ctd symptoms but normal labs (other than high ana)?

Accepted Answer

Sure: Sure, but it is important to distinguish bursitis, tendonitis and fibromyalgia from what are traditionally referred to as connective tissue diseases.

Question 6

does infectious disease specialist treat or study systemic scleroderma. undifferentied diffuse connective tissue disease,raynauds?

Accepted Answer

No: these are generally dealt with by rheumatologists. Good luck.

Question 7

i have a diagnoses of an unspecified connective tissue disease with an unspecified vitamin d deficiency. what is this?

Accepted Answer

No way to know: No way to tell which your unspecified connective tissue disease is since it's "unspecified". The vitamin d deficiency can be easily treated with 2, 000 u of vitamin d3 a day. Talk with your physician and ask him/her these questions.

Question 8

i understand specific labs are not entirely specific to certain autoimmune diseases, and its based off of labs and symptoms. but can anyone please explain the difference between mixed connective tissue disease vs. other autoimmune diseases?

Accepted Answer

: There is a blood test called antiRNP titer which must exceed a certain high level along with presence of at least 3 out of several clinical features such as Raynauds phenomenon, scarring of of finger tips, hand swelling,inflammatory. muscle  changes on biopsy,inflammation of joint linings for example. Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma wouldn't fulfill enough of these criteria.

Question 9

what medicines work best for mixed connective tissue disease?

Accepted Answer

Mixed CT Disease: There's no cure for mixed connective tissue disease, but medication can help manage the signs and symptoms of the disease. Mild forms of mixed connective tissue disease may not require treatment. You may require treatment only during flares or, if you have a more serious form of the disease, you may require continuous medication.

Question 10

what is the life expectancy for someone with mixed connective tissue disease?

Accepted Answer

see details: It really depends on the severity of the disease and the specific areas involved. With proper treatment there can be a normal life expectancy in most cases.

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Doctor answers about:

What specialists can diagnose mixed connective tissue disease besides rheumatologists

A member asked:

What specialists can diagnose mixed connective tissue disease besides rheumatologists?

A member asked:

What specialists can diagnose mixed connective tissue disorder?

A member asked:

Appt in mo. for rheumatologist as pos ana 3 mos ago, muscles weaker, drop things, very strng knee reflx, maybe mixed connective tissue disease, ra, sjogren memory bad, bro w ms. nero? e.r.? 6 kids, xmas

A member asked:

If one with connective tissue disease is having a true flare up, could labs (other than +ana) be normal? and do rheumatologists have opposing views?

A member asked:

Do rheumatologists commonly see undiff connective tissue disease patients with lots of ctd symptoms but normal labs (other than high ana)?

A member asked:

Does infectious disease specialist treat or study systemic scleroderma. undifferentied diffuse connective tissue disease,raynauds?

A member asked:

I have a diagnoses of an unspecified connective tissue disease with an unspecified vitamin d deficiency. what is this?

A member asked:

I understand specific labs are not entirely specific to certain autoimmune diseases, and its based off of labs and symptoms. but can anyone please explain the difference between mixed connective tissue disease vs. other autoimmune diseases?

A member asked:

What medicines work best for mixed connective tissue disease?

A member asked:

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

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