Q: If I have a connective tissue disorder, will my children also have it?
A: Not necessarily. Connective tissue disorders are a family of many disorders. Some are known to be inherited. In others, genetics plays a role, but doesn’t dictate whether a child develops a disorder.

Q: Why does it take so long to get a diagnosis of specific connective tissue disorders
A: Many connective tissue disorders have similar symptoms, which vary from individual to individual. Moreover, some symptoms appear later than others. These factors sometimes make it difficult to obtain a quick diagnosis.

Q: Are lupus erythematosis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma or dermatomyositis contagious?
A: No. They are not transmitted by infectious agents. 

Q: Are there different kinds of lupus?
A: Lupus can be categorized as systemic lupus and discoid lupus. Basically, systemic lupus affects many systems in the body: the skin, joints, blood, lungs, kidneys, heart, brain and nervous system, while discoid lupus attacks only the skin.

Q: Can discoid lupus become systemic lupus?
A: It’s not predictable but approximately 10% of discoid lupus cases develop into systemic lupus.

Q: What is drug-induced lupus?
A: Some medications can induce a reversible lupus, which doesn’t generally involve the kidneys or central nervous system. Symptoms appear after many months to many years of frequent use of the drug and generally disappear within 6 months of stopping the drug.

Q: Is lupus fatal?
A: Most people with lupus can now live a normal life span, due to increased awareness, better diagnostic capabilities and more effective treatment and management. Death in lupus patients is generally due to overwhelming kidney failure or uncontrolled infection.

Q: Is rheumatoid arthritis the same as the arthritis that affects elderly people?
A: No. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, wears away the cartilage that covers the bones at your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by inflammation of the membrane that protects the joints.

Q: Can rheumatoid arthritis affect children?
A: While it most commonly strikes adults between 25 and 50 years, it can also affect children and seniors.

Q: Is scleroderma reversible?
A: No. Medication and proper care of the skin can slow or stop the effects but can’t change the appearance of the hardened skin.

Q: Is scleroderma fatal?
A: If left untreated, the systemic form of scleroderma can be fatal, depending upon which organs are involved. Disease that involves major organs such as the heart or kidney can lead to severe disability or death if left untreated. Localized scleroderma is not fatal.

Q: What is the difference between dermatomyositis and polymyositis?
A: Polymyositis is similar and leads to many of the same symptoms as dermatomyositis, but it does not cause skin inflammation or a rash.