Overlap syndrome

Overlap syndrome
Classification and external resources
Specialty	rheumatology
ICD-10	M35.1

An overlap syndrome is an autoimmune disease of connective tissue in which a patient presents with symptoms of two or more diseases.

Examples of overlap syndromes include mixed connective tissue disease and scleromyositis. Diagnosis depends from which diseases the patient shows symptoms and has positive antibodies for in their lab serology.

In overlap syndrome, features of the following diseases are found (most common listed):

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),
• Systemic sclerosis,
• Polymyositis,
• Dermatomyositis,
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Sjögren's syndrome
• Churg–Strauss syndrome
• Autoimmune thyroiditis
• Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

^[1]

The treatment of overlap syndrome is mainly based on the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. Biologic drugs, i.e. anti-TNFα or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, have been recently introduced as alternative treatments in refractory cases. There are some concerns with the use of anti-TNF agents in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases due to the risk of triggering disease exacerbations.^[2]

See also

• Autoimmune
• Mixed connective tissue disease

Further reading

• The Myositis Association Overlap Syndrome 2011 Conference Presentation

References

1. Maddison PJ. (1991). "Overlap syndromes and mixed connective tissue disease". Current Opinion in Rheumatology 3 (6): 995–1000. doi:10.1097/00002281-199112000-00016. PMID 1772755.
2. Iaccarino (Jun 2012). "Overlap connective tissue disease syndromes.". Autoimmunity Reviewss 12 (3): 363–73. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2012.06.004. PMID 22743033.