Collagenopathies: what connectivities are and how they manifest themselves

What are collagen diseases? It is a group of autoimmune systemic diseases: we discover diagnosis, symptoms and treatment.

A group of systemic autoimmune diseases, collagen diseases primarily affect the skin and the immune system . Let's see how they are diagnosed and manifested, as well as the symptoms – different according to the underlying pathology – and how connectivitis is treated.

Collagenopathies: symptoms and causes

Collagenopathies or connective tissue diseases are a group of diseases that have in common the lesions of the fibrillar connective tissues , especially the connective tissue of the dermis, subcutaneous and serous membranes. Since they are multiple pathologies, collagenopathies have symptoms that can be very, very different. It is good to underline that the term embraces systemic autoimmune diseases , for which common disorders can occur, such as: chronic fatigue, fever, generalized sense of malaise, dizziness and lack of appetite.

In any case, connective tissue diseases affect the skin and the immune system and are caused by an altered response of our organism or its imbalance. Put simply, there are healthy cells that, by some sort of mistake, are attacked by the immune system . The main collagen diseases are:

• systemic lupus erythematosus;
• dermatomyositis;
• systemic scleroderma;
• morphea;
• Sjögren's syndrome.

When the symptoms do not lead to one of the diseases mentioned above, it is called undifferentiated connective tissue disease. If typical disorders of systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis and sclerosis, with very high levels of antinuclear antibodies, are found in a single patient, we speak of mixed connective tissue disease. The latter, it should be emphasized, is a rare form.

Collagenopathies: diagnosis and treatment

Collagen disorders are diagnosed after a dermatological examination, sometimes followed by a rheumatological evaluation . Generally, the doctor, after an initial check-up, will recommend various tests to the patient, which may include a histological examination on a skin biopsy. As for the cure , there is no good news. We speak, in fact, of treatment and not of definitive healing. Based on the underlying pathology, the specialist may prescribe drugs or herbal remedies. In any case, rest and maximum protection from sunlight is indicated.