Connective Tissue Disease Clinic and Research Center

Connective Tissue Disease Treatment in Central Massachusetts and Beyond

You can find expert treatment for connective tissue diseases at UMass Memorial Health. The team at our Connective Tissue Disease Clinic and Research Center provides skilled diagnosis and treatment for people with these conditions.

Researchers don’t fully understand the exact nature and cause of CTDs. Our team is also researching the underlying development of the disorders, focusing on potential treatment options.

What Are CTDs?

Connective tissues support and protect your internal organs and maintain your body’s form. Connective tissue disease results from damage to your connective tissues. CTDs may be limited to the skin but can also affect internal organs.

Some CTDs may happen because of a genetic problem you are born with. But many CTDs are autoimmune, which happens when your immune system mistakenly attacks and damages your healthy tissues. Researchers believe that both genetic and environmental factors can cause autoimmune CTDs. Autoimmune CTDs are relatively rare conditions. They are more common in women.

Connective Tissue Diseases We Treat

Our dermatologists treat several CTDs, including cutaneous lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and morphea (localized scleroderma). We also treat people with:

• Adult atopic dermatitis
• Cutaneous sarcoidosis
• Eosinophilic fasciitis
• Pityriasis rubra pilaris
• Psoriasis
• Systemic sclerosis/scleroderma

Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a mixed group of autoimmune conditions. These conditions may affect just your skin, or they can affect multiple organs, including your kidneys, joints, heart, lungs and brain. CLE has different subtypes, such as subacute CLE, chronic and discoid CLE and lupus panniculitis. These conditions can cause skin issues to occur, mainly in sun-exposed areas of your body.

Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare inflammatory autoimmune disease that occurs in children ages 5 to 15 and in middle-aged adults. DM causes muscle weakness on both sides of the body that tends to worsen over time. It also causes skin issues, including: 

• Intense redness and itching on your scalp
• Scaly red rash of sun-exposed areas of your chest, back and arms
• Swelling and redness of your eyelids

Adult-onset DM affects twice as many females as men. DM in adults may be associated with underlying cancer. If you have DM, your care team will monitor you closely to watch for early signs of cancer.

Morphea (localized scleroderma)

Morphea, also known as localized scleroderma, is a rare inflammatory autoimmune disease. It presents with progressive skin tightness that can cause permanent scarring and discoloration. Untreated morphea can lead to a loss of function and disfigurement, but treatment can help.