Abstrakt

Dyspnoea is a frequent symptom in connective tissue diseases and can indicate a broad spectrum of organ complications. Lung problems, cardiac dysfunctions, diseases of pulmonary vessels or connective tissue-associated kidney manifestations are expressed by dyspnoea. Gastrointestinal involvement with reflux and aspiration are frequent co-morbidities in systemic sclerosis, mixed connective tissue diseases, or in myositis and can also cause dyspnoea. This symptom can also reflect medication-associated side effects well described for methotrexate or anti-TNFα therapies. In addition, autoimmune diseases as well as medications could cause general immunosuppression and immune defects, a precondition for infections even with atypical agents. The prevalence of lung carcinomas and lymphomas is higher in some connective tissue diseases. Finally, dyspnoea often reflects low exercise capacity due to chronic fatigue often present in patients with connective tissue disease. The knowledge about the connective tissue diseases as well as their typical disease complications can contribute to a better understanding and early diagnosis of complications in patients with dyspnoea. The following manuscript will provide an overview to the different aspects of dyspnoea in connective tissue diseases.

Autoreninformation

Autoren

• G. Riemekasten

Abteilungen

• Rheumatologie, T
• ¹ 
• ⁷ 
• ⁰ , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Adresse

Prof. Dr. med. Gabriela Riemekasten
Rheumatologie, T 170
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Charitéplatz 1
D-10117 Berlin
Email: [email protected]

Citation