Connective Tissue Diseases

Connective tissue diseases share certain common traits such as skin inflammation, and joint and other structures rich in connective tissue, along with immune defects. They represent a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by a wide variety of signs and symptoms. The autoimmune connective tissue diseases include lupus erythematous, dermatomyositis, and morphea, and are considered classic connective tissue diseases. In this chapter The Epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, complementary examinations, and therapeutic approaches for connective tissue diseases are discussed.