ArticleLewis RA, Adams JP, Gerber NL, Decker JL, Parsons DB.
J Hand Surg Am. 1978 May;3(3):217-22.
The mixed connective tissue disease syndrome has been described in the medical literature. The clinical and serological characteristics of the syndrome are defined in this paper. The hands of these patients differ from the hands of patients with systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or systemic sclerosis. In 10 patients there were no erosive changes on radiological examination and all 10 patients had Raynaud's phenomenon. The most striking finding was tightness in the flexors. Mild cases of flexor tightness improved with systemic steroids. One patient with severe flexor tightness required surgical release of adhesions from a chronic inflammatory process of fascia, muscle, and tenosynovium. Biochemical studies showed an abnormal collagen pattern that may be distinct for mixed connective tissue disease.