Connective Tissue Diseases and Disorders Sourcebook, 1st Ed.

Connective tissues keep our body’s cells together, provide a framework, support our organs, and aid in tissue healing. They are found all over the body. Connective tissues are made up of proteins such as collagen (found in the skin, ligaments, tendons, bone, cartilage, and blood vessels) and elastin (found in the ligaments and skin). Inflammation of any connective tissue and the surrounding parts of the body is known as a connective tissue disorder. Over 200 disorders impact the connective tissues and each disorder has its own symptoms and treatments. From 2008–2014, an estimated 800,000 individuals (0.27%) in the United States population had a connective tissue disorder annually. Connective tissue disorders affect all ages, but incidence is higher among women than men by a factor of at least 4:1. Eighty percent of people with mixed connective tissue disorder can live for at least ten years after being diagnosed, if they receive good care and therapy. Since there is no permanent cure for connective tissue illnesses, the treatment is typically focused on reducing symptoms. Choosing the best treatment needs careful assessment of the risks and benefits and close collaboration with the medical team in treating the disease.

Connective Tissue Diseases and Disorders Sourcebook, First Edition provides basic information about the different types of both hereditary and acquired connective tissue disorders, covering in detail the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of each type. It also deals with the connective tissue injury types, tumors, and treatment recommendations. An outline of how to deal with the emotional dimension of these chronic diseases, coping mechanisms in the workplace and the required facts regarding disability benefits is given. It also expounds on current research programs on autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases. The book concludes with a glossary of related terms and a directory of organizations for further help and information.

Part 1: Connective Tissue: An Overview introduces connective tissue diseases, their different types, their physiology, and its implication during pregnancy. It also briefs about the mental health of people with the disorders, and an explanation of how there is no risk for COVID-19 in patients with extended treatment and therapy for the connective tissue disease.

Part 2: Hereditary Connective Tissue Disorders talks about different hereditary connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, osteogenesis imperfecta, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, Stickler syndrome, and cutis laxa. It also expounds on the thoracic aortic artery dilatation and dissection and conditions such as alkaptonuria and pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

Part 3: Acquired Diseases and Injuries of Connective Tissue explains the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of acquired connective tissue disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, amyloidosis, osteoarthritis, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, relapsing polychondritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It further explains possible injury types to the connective tissue.

Part 4: Other Collagen Vascular Diseases briefs the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of other connective tissue disease conditions such as dermatomyositis, vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, psoriatic arthritis, mixed connective tissue disorder, and undifferentiated connective tissue disorder. It also gives further insight into the current research programs on autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases including ankylosing spondylitis.

Part 5: Connective Tissue Tumors describes the disease course of different tumors such as adult fibrous tissue tumors, fat tissue tumors, cartilage tumors, bone, and tumors of the notochord, detailing the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. It also outlines life after cancer treatment recommendations and explains other connective tissue tumors such as fibrous histiocytoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Part 6: Living with a Connective Tissue Disorder elaborates the steps to take after the diagnosis on how to cope with such disorders and ways to improve the overall health and wellbeing, covering students as well. It also talks about vaccination in patients with autoimmune diseases considering the COVID-19 pandemic. It deals with the emotional dimensions of chronic disease and coping mechanisms in the workplace. The part also unfurls the basic information about disability benefits.

Part 7: Additional Help and Information includes a glossary of terms related to connective tissue diseases and disorders and a directory of resources for additional help.