Signs of a rare autoimmune disease

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare and difficult-to-diagnose autoimmune disease, as its symptoms are similar to those of many other autoimmune disorders.

Early detection and treatment are crucial to limiting dangerous complications and improving the quality of life for patients.

Mixed connective tissue: A rare autoimmune disease

Ms. NTH, 30 years old, visited Medlatec General Hospital after noticing unusual red rashes on both cheeks. After thorough tests and examinations, doctors determined that she had a rare autoimmune disease called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD).

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Ms. H. stated that she has long suffered from unexplained thrombocytopenia and has been taking Medrol 2mg/day. However, in recent days, she unexpectedly noticed redness and large rashes on her cheeks, with tight skin and no blisters. Recognizing this unusual condition, she sought treatment at Medlatec.

Following a clinical examination, the doctors ordered an ANA (antinuclear antibody) test and a series of other autoimmune tests.

The results showed positive test results for multiple autoimmune antibodies, particularly anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies (Anti-U1-RNP) and anti-SS-A. Simultaneously, blood tests also revealed a thrombocytopenia level of 71 G/L.

Based on test results and examinations, doctors diagnosed her with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), a complex and rare autoimmune disease that can cause serious damage to multiple organs in the body.

According to Dr. Tran Thi Thu, a dermatologist at Medlatec General Hospital, mixed connective tissue disease (MTS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by overlapping symptoms of several other autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, polymyositis, and rheumatoid arthritis. MTS is a dangerous condition that can damage many vital organs in the body, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver.

"MCTD is characterized by the simultaneous appearance of autoimmune antibodies such as ANA and anti-U1-RNP. The body's immune system mistakenly identifies normal tissues as harmful agents, thereby attacking and causing inflammation and damage to organs," Dr. Thu explained.

Although the exact cause of the disease remains unknown, genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors may play a significant role in its onset.

Risk factors include genetics: Having a family member with an autoimmune disease increases the risk of developing MCTD; environment: Viral infections, exposure to toxic chemicals, or UV radiation can trigger the disease; and hormones: Estrogen may increase the risk of the disease in women.

Symptoms of MCTD are varied and can progress rapidly. In the early stages, patients may experience nonspecific signs such as fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, or mild fever.

One of the common manifestations of the disease is Raynaud's syndrome, which causes the fingers or toes to become cold, pale, and turn bluish-purple when exposed to cold or stress.

If left untreated, the disease can cause serious damage to organs such as:

Heart: Myocarditis, mitral valve prolapse.

Lungs: Interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension.

Kidneys: Nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis.

Central nervous system: Aseptic meningitis.

Currently, Ms. H. has had a personalized treatment plan developed by doctors at MEDLATEC tailored to her specific condition. The doctors also advised her to avoid direct sunlight, use sunscreen with a high SPF, and maintain a healthy diet to support her immune health.

According to Doctor Thu, early diagnosis and timely treatment of mixed connective tissue disease (MDT) are crucial to limit complications. Patients with MDT should have regular check-ups to monitor disease progression and prevent organ damage.

In addition, to reduce the risk of developing the disease or to effectively manage it, doctors recommend that patients maintain healthy habits such as avoiding sunlight, not smoking, keeping warm in cold weather, maintaining a balanced diet, and engaging in gentle exercise. Yoga, meditation, and relaxation techniques also help manage stress and support mental and physical health.

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare and difficult-to-diagnose autoimmune disease, as its symptoms are similar to those of many other autoimmune disorders.

Early detection and treatment are crucial to limiting dangerous complications and improving the quality of life for patients. Ms. H. was fortunate to have her condition diagnosed in time and is currently receiving treatment according to the prescribed medical protocol to effectively control the disease.

Laparoscopic surgery successfully treated a patient with early-stage stomach cancer.

Mr. Ngoc, 48 years old, from Hau Giang, came for examination due to persistent dull pain in the upper abdomen above the navel. A gastroscopy revealed that the entire gastric mucosa was inflamed and congested, with ulcer-like lesions in the cardia region.

During the endoscopy, the doctor noticed abnormalities in the gastric mucosa, so a biopsy was performed for examination. The results showed that Mr. Ngoc had poorly differentiated carcinoma with signet ring cell components – a malignant form of cancer where the cells do not adhere well and are prone to metastasis.

To prevent the cancer cells from spreading, the patient needed surgery to remove the tumor. However, because the tumor was located in the upper part of the stomach, the surgery became more complicated.

Doctors had to perform a partial gastrectomy (removal of the upper part of the stomach) and reconnect the esophagus to the lower part of the stomach so that the patient could eat and drink normally. In addition, the doctors also performed lymph node dissection according to D2 standards to prevent recurrence and lymph node metastasis.

The surgery lasted more than 5 hours and was performed using an endoscope. The doctors carefully examined organs such as the liver and peritoneum and confirmed that there were no metastases. After completing the surgical steps, the doctor connected the esophagus and stomach in a “shovel-shaped” way.

During the surgery, the surgeon immediately sent the tissue sample for frozen section biopsy. The results, returned after about 30-60 minutes, showed that the resection margin was free of cancerous cells, which helped preserve the remaining portion of the patient's stomach.

After the surgery, Mr. Ngoc recovered quickly. On the second day after the operation, he was able to eat liquids and walk normally. He was discharged from the hospital after 5 days of treatment.

The pathology results showed that Mr. Ngoc had poorly constitutive, invasive adenocarcinoma of the signet ring cell type, stage 1. This is an early stage, where the cancer cells have not metastasized to the lymph nodes and have not invaded surrounding nerves. However, 3 out of 30 lymph nodes have metastasized, so Mr. Ngoc needs further treatment at the Oncology Department.

According to Dr. Do Minh Hung, Director of the Center for Endoscopy and Endoscopic Digestive Surgery at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, laparoscopic upper gastrectomy is a difficult surgery requiring highly skilled surgeons. Besides thorough lymph node dissection to prevent recurrence, precise post-operative suturing of the anastomosis helps to reduce gastric reflux and improve the patient's quality of life.

Stomach cancer is currently the third leading cause of death in Vietnam, after liver cancer. It can occur at any age, but is most common in people over 50, especially men.

However, stomach cancer is currently on the rise and affecting younger people. Because the symptoms are often subtle and easily confused with common digestive problems such as gastritis, stomach ulcers, or digestive disorders, the disease is often detected late, when it has already progressed or metastasized.

Dr. Do Minh Hung advises everyone to have regular health checkups, especially those with high risk factors such as people infected with Helicobacter pylori (HP); people with stomach polyps or recurrent stomach ulcers; people with a history of surgery for benign stomach conditions; people aged 45 and older or with a family history of stomach cancer.

Regular screenings and endoscopies help detect stomach cancer early, thereby improving treatment effectiveness and patient survival time.

Successful detection and treatment of a patient with cerebral malaria after a trip to West Africa.

The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases announced that it had admitted patient PTTT (39 years old, from Vinh Phuc province) in critical condition due to malignant malaria, specifically cerebral malaria, with complications of shock. The patient was admitted after a prolonged period of high fever, fatigue, and low platelet count, leading doctors to initially suspect she had Dengue fever.

Before being hospitalized, Ms. T. had experienced acute fever and persistent fatigue for 3 days. After 4 days of treatment without improvement, her condition worsened.

She was transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on December 25, 2024, with symptoms of high fever, chills, hypotension, altered consciousness, multiple organ failure, hemolysis, and severe coagulation disorders. At this time, the patient received emergency resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and hemodialysis.

Upon carefully examining her epidemiological history, doctors discovered that Ms. T. had spent two months on a business trip to Sierra Leone (a West African country where malaria is rampant). Before returning to Vietnam, she transited through Ethiopia and Thailand, where malaria may also be prevalent. Based on her symptoms and epidemiological history, doctors suspected Ms. T. had contracted malaria.

On December 26th, test results showed that Ms. T. tested positive for Plasmodium falciparum – a strain that causes severe malaria and is currently very common in African countries. The parasite density in the patient's blood was very high, reaching 182,667 kst/mm³.

Diagnosed with severe malaria, specifically cerebral malaria, and complicated by shock, Ms. T. was immediately treated with intensive resuscitation measures and antimalarial drugs. Despite timely treatment, the mortality rate in cases of severe cerebral malaria remains very high due to the rapid and dangerous progression of the disease.

After 16 days of treatment, the malaria parasites in the patient's blood were gone, the hemolysis stopped, and the patient recovered from shock. However, Ms. T. still required mechanical ventilation and treatment for other organ failure complications. Doctors determined that although the patient had passed the critical stage, long-term rehabilitation and monitoring were necessary.

According to Dr. Phan Van Manh, malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium spp. parasites, mainly in tropical countries, and transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes.

The disease typically begins with a fever that progresses through three stages: chills, high fever, and sweating. However, severe forms such as encephalitis, shock, and organ failure have overlapping symptoms, making diagnosis difficult and resulting in a very high mortality rate if not treated promptly.

Dr. Manh emphasized that individuals with acute fever and an epidemiological history of traveling from countries where malaria is endemic (such as West African countries), especially if they exhibit symptoms like high fever, fatigue, or altered consciousness, should immediately go to the hospital for testing and timely diagnosis.

To prevent malaria and other infectious diseases when traveling to endemic areas, doctors recommend that people take prophylactic antimalarial medication when visiting such areas.

Use protective measures to avoid mosquito bites such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, using mosquito repellent spray, and sleeping under a mosquito net. Practice good personal hygiene and insect prevention.

Malaria is easily treatable when detected early. Therefore, getting a timely health check-up after traveling to endemic areas is crucial to prevent dangerous complications.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tin-moi-y-te-ngay-71-dau-hieu-mac-benh-tu-mien-hiem-gap-d239458.html