TITLE:
COVID-19 Induced Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD)—Case Report
AUTHORS:
Cintia Nagy-Kardos, Dominique Zöld, László Tihanyi, Gábor Veress
KEYWORDS:
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), Anti-U1-RNP Antibody, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Infection, Post-COVID Syndrome
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.11 No.9,
September
22,
2022
ABSTRACT: Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare systemic autoimmune disorder that damages multiple organs simultaneously and is associated with chronic inflammation, in which the signs of systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and polymyositis can co-occur. Its distinctive feature and the basis for the diagnosis of MCTD is the presence of an antibody against the uridine-rich RNP of the cell nucleus (Anti-U1-RNP). It has been observed that intercurrent infections can trigger autoimmune diseases, however, the fact that viral infections—such as SARS-CoV-2—induce them is currently poorly understood. The present study raises the etiological role of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the development of the disease. Authors describe the case of a 38-year-old patient in good general condition, who was diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease three months after COVID-19 infection.