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
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.
Read more about Overlap Syndrome: See Also, Further Reading
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—Russell Lynes (b. 1910)
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—Jean Baker Miller (20th century)