RHEUMATOID NODULES, A RARE PRESENTATION IN MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE: A CASE REPORT

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by signs and symptoms of overlapping of at least two connective tissue diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis and rheumatoid arthritis , along with the presence of a distinct antibody, anti-ribonucleoprotein U1 (RNP). Most authors describe MCTD as an independent entity, while some believe that it may represent an early stage of a definitive connective tissue disease, for example SLE, or overlap syndrome. The presence of rheumatoid nodules is associated with more severe disease phenotypes.