Cutaneous Connective Tissue Diseases

Connective tissue diseases are a group of multisystem disorders characterized by overactivity of the immune system, resulting in the formation of antibodies against connective tissue components or cells. Various autoantibodies have been discovered, but their implication in the pathogenesis of connective tissue diseases is uncertain. Many of these antibodies are antinuclear antibodies directed against certain structures in the nucleus of the cells. Although some autoantibodies are associated with a specific disease, others may be associated with more than one disease, making diagnosis challenging. The connective tissue disease may be limited to the skin, but it can also affect internal organs. Differentiating the cutaneous form from the systemic form is crucial because they often share the same histological characteristics, but have a different course and prognosis, and thus treatment. The most common autoimmune connective tissue diseases with cutaneous manifestations include lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and Sjögren syndrome.