Mixed connective tissue disease other diagnostic studies

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shaghayegh Habibi, M.D.[2]

Overview

Pulmonary function test may be helpful in the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease as a complication of MCTD and Right heart catheterization is the standard diagnostic approach for definitive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension as a complication of MCTD

Pulmonary function test may be helpful in the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease as a complication of MCTD. Findings suggestive of interstitial lung disease include:^[1]^[2]
- DLCO values is significantly lower in the active pulmonary stage (most sensitive test for predicting the presence of fibrosing alveolitis)
- Restrictive ventilatory defect (reduction of FEV1 and total lung capacity)

Right heart catheterization is the standard diagnostic approach for definitive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension as a complication of MCTD.^[3]

↑ Bodolay E, Szekanecz Z, Dévényi K, Galuska L, Csípo I, Vègh J, Garai I, Szegedi G (May 2005). “Evaluation of interstitial lung disease in mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD)”. Rheumatology (Oxford). 44 (5): 656–61. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keh575. PMID 15716315.
↑ Gutsche M, Rosen GD, Swigris JJ (September 2012). “Connective Tissue Disease-associated Interstitial Lung Disease: A review”. Curr Respir Care Rep. 1: 224–232. doi:10.1007/s13665-012-0028-7. PMC 3486427. PMID 23125954.
↑ Ciang NC, Pereira N, Isenberg DA (March 2017). “Mixed connective tissue disease-enigma variations?”. Rheumatology (Oxford). 56 (3): 326–333. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kew265. PMID 27436003.