SPOTLIGHT: Connective Tissue Disorders

Connective tissue Diseases (CTDs) represents the collective term for various diseases which affect the parts of the body that hold our body structure together. This can include a range of conditions, such as genetic (inherited) conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and autoimmune conditions, such as scleroderma. In genetic conditions, a mutation in one's genes leads to problems in the structure and/or function of connective tissues, giving rise to a range of symptoms and signs, which are not always limited to the musculoskeletal system. In autoimmune connective tissue disorders (also...