title: Undifferentiated connective tissue disease in a rheumatology center in Cali, Colombia: clinical features of 94 patients followed for a year.
abstract: The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical and serological features of patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) of a rheumatology referral center in Cali, Colombia, who were followed for a year. A retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients with an initial diagnosis of UCTD and monitoring for at least 12 months was carried out. A total of 94 patients with UCTD (97.9% women) were evaluated, with an average follow-up of 51 ± 35.7 months. Only 13 patients (13.8%) evolved into a defined connective tissue disease (CTD), of which 8.5% (n:8) developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 4.2% (n:4) Sjögren syndrome (SS) and 1.1% (n:1) rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A mean period of 35.8 ± 29.2 months between UCTD diagnosis and definite develop of a CTD was found. Arthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon and photosensitivity were statistically significant (<0.001) for development of CTD. After a mean follow-up of 4.25 years, most of the patients with UCTD showed a favorable evolution. Arthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon and the presence of photosensitivity were predictors for the development of CTD. It requires a consensus to establish criteria for the classification of UCTD.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidad Libre, Cali, Colombia.
authors: Luis F
authors: LF
authors: Guerrero
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Rueda
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Arciniegas
authors: Jorge M
authors: JM
authors: Rueda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003105:Colombia; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology