TB Research

Tuberculous Meningitis: A Coexisting Infection in a Case of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease

Saima Ilyas, Auzib Siddique, Aneela Asghar, K John, M Sadiq, T George, K Gunasekaran, N Francis, et al. (50 authors)

Journal of College of Physicians And Surgeons Pakistan · 2025-01

Abstract

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a systemic autoimmune disease having overlapping clinical features of at least two connective tissue diseases (CTDs), including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) along with the presence of anti-U1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibody.There is a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations.Most patients present with Raynaud's phenomenon, hand oedema, synovitis, myositis, and acrosclerosis.Generally, the presence of anti-RNP is associated with a good prognosis; however, the death rate is approximately 4% due to pulmonary hypertension, myocarditis, nephritis, and/or widespread vasculitis.The authors report a case of a young girl with MCTD along with concurrent tuberculous meningitis, a very rare occurrence.

MeSH terms

  • Mixed connective tissue disease
  • Disease
  • Meningitis
  • Medicine
  • Tuberculous meningitis
  • Connective tissue
  • Pathology
  • Tuberculosis