What are all the rheumatological diseases?

From the Guidelines

Rheumatological diseases include a wide range of disorders, primarily affecting the joints and connective tissue, and can be broadly categorized into several groups.

Key Rheumatological Diseases

• Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs):
  • Systemic sclerosis (SSc) 1
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 1
  • Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) including polymyositis, dermatomyositis, antisynthetase syndrome, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy 1
  • Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) 1
  • Sjögren disease (SjD) 1
• Other autoimmune rheumatic diseases:
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 1
  • Relapsing polychondritis 1
  • Ankylosing spondylitis 1

Characteristics and Complications

These diseases can manifest with various symptoms, including joint inflammation, skin rashes, and interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in people with SARDs 1. The presentation and clinical course of these diseases can vary considerably, and early recognition is crucial for optimal management and treatment 1.

Treatment and Management

Guidelines for the treatment of ILD in people with SARDs have been proposed by the American College of Rheumatology 1, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to care, involving both rheumatologists and pulmonologists 1.

From the Research

Rheumatological Diseases

The following are some of the rheumatological diseases mentioned in the studies:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 2, 3, 4
• Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) 2, 4
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 2, 5, 3, 4
• Spondyloarthritis 2
• Osteoarthritis (OA) 5
• Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) 3
• Dermatomyositis/polymyositis 3
• Sjögren syndrome 3
• Overlap syndromes 3
• Mixed connective tissue disease 3
• Ehlers-Danlos syndromes 3
• Vasculitides 3
• Takayasu's arteritis (TA) 4
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) 4
• Giant cell arteritis (GCA) 4

Disease Classification

Rheumatological diseases can be classified into different categories, including:

• Autoinflammatory diseases (e.g. monogenic systemic autoinflammatory diseases) 2
• Autoimmune diseases (e.g. SLE, APS) 2
• Mixed-pattern diseases (e.g. spondyloarthritis, some forms of RA) 2

Disease Manifestations

Rheumatological diseases can manifest in different ways, including:

• Gastrointestinal manifestations (e.g. GI tract involvement in RDs) 3
• Peripheral nervous system manifestations (e.g. peripheral neuropathies, overlap myositis) 6
• Cardiogenic shock (e.g. caused by eosinophilic myocarditis, CAD, valvulopathy) 4