What is CTD-ILD? (connective tissue disease associated interstitial lung disease)

CTD-ILD stands for Connective Tissue Disease associated Interstitial Lung Disease. Interstitial lung diseases, or ILDs, are conditions in which there is thickening or hardening of the structures that make up lung tissue. There are very many ILDs.

Connective tissue diseases are typically autoimmune conditions, in which the body's immune system goes into overdrive and hurts its own healthy tissues. This is usually linked to certain proteins (auto-antibodies) which target various organs of the body.

The connective tissue represents protein structures that support and organize cells into organs. Therefore, if the immune system starts to target the connective tissue, it may actually affect various organs of the body at the same time.

In fact, many connective tissue diseases can lead to a variety of symptoms that may seem unrelated. A person may see a rheumatologist for joint swelling and pain, while at the same time seeing a pulmonologist for shortness of breath. Subsequently, a connective tissue disease diagnosis can be made that explains all the symptoms that person was experiencing (such as Rheumatoid Arthritis). Often, due to the complex nature of these conditions, there may be significant delays in diagnosis.

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