Digestive and Articular Manifestations of Collagen Diseases

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Abstract
A group of 55 patients was studied with connective tissue disorders[long dash]systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and polyarteritis nodosa. 51 of these patients had joint involvement and 25 had digestive disturbances. The 24 patients presenting with both arthritic and alimentary symptoms were studied in detail. Nine had systemic lupus erythematosus and in each of these the articular symptoms preceded the alimentary disturbances by a period of mo. or yr. In 8 of the 10 patients with scleroderma arthritic symptoms preceded gastro-intestinal disease. Four cases of dermatomyositis and one of polyarteritis nodosa are also described. The large joints were involved more frequently than the small ones and arthralgia was more common than arthritis. The alimentary symptoms were very varied. The distribution of both arthritic and alimentary symptoms is described in detail.