Complications

Mixed connective tissue disease can lead to serious complications, some of which can be fatal. Complications include:

• High blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension). This condition is a major cause of death in people with mixed connective tissue disease.
• Interstitial lung disease. This large group of disorders can cause scarring in your lungs, which affects your ability to breathe.
• Heart disease. Parts of the heart can enlarge, or inflammation can occur around the heart. Heart failure can occur.
• Kidney damage. About one-fourth of people with mixed connective tissue disease develop kidney problems, Kidney involvement is usually mild, but can lead to kidney failure.
• Digestive tract damage. Commonly, mixed connective tissue disease affects the digestive tract. You might have abdominal pain and problems with swallowing and digesting food.
• Anemia. About 75% of people with mixed connective tissue disease have iron deficiency anemia.
• Tissue death. People with severe Raynaud's disease can develop gangrene in the fingers.
• Hearing loss. In one small study, hearing loss was reported in almost half the patients with mixed connective tissue disease. More research is needed to understand this association.
• Nerve damage. Sjogren syndrome can affect the nerve that carries feeling from your face to your brain (trigeminal nerve). If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — can trigger a jolt of severe pain.