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We present a case of a 10-year-old boy with 1-month history of proximal more than the distal weakness of all four limbs with myalgias, contractures, and bulbar symptoms on a background history of exertional myalgias for 2 years. His power was grade two-three. Investigations showed elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK). His auto-antibody profile showed anti- nuclear matrix protein 2 (NXP2) antibody positivity. Muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed extensive T2 fat-saturated hyperintense signal changes in the glutei, thigh, and leg muscles suggestive of active myositis. He improved significantly with immunomodulation with steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins (Iv Ig), and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). He was continued on monthly pulse steroids and MMF. He is on regular follow-up. This is a rare case of anti-NXP2 antibody-mediated inflammatory myositis and the first report from India.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a collagenosis with a substrate of chronic inflammation, which is determined by autoimmunity. The pathogenesis of this disease involves microvasculopathy (small vessel pathology) followed by excessive cutaneous and visceral fibrosis. Although acoustic and vestibular impairment is not classified as being a secondary pathology of SSc, several studies have identified cases of SSc that associate hearing loss and especially vertigo and tinnitus. This paper presents data from the medical literature that have identified vestibular and auditory symptoms among patients with SSc, associating the clinical case presentation of a patient suffering from SSc, which is associated with hearing loss. The need for additional studies on larger groups of patients is underlined, in order to clarify the impact of vasculopathy and fibrosis on the acoustic and vestibular analyzer in patients with SSc.

BACKGROUND: The concept of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) as a unique connective tissue disease has endured for half a century. Disease onset can be in adulthood (MCTD) or of juvenile onset (jMCTD) and is characterized by overlapping features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), polymyositis or dermatomyositis (PM/DM) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). No universally accepted classification criteria for MCTD exists, however agreed upon overlapping disease features include the presence of high titers of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle antibodies (U1snRNP) in the peripheral blood, Raynaud\'s phenomenon, synovitis, myositis and swollen hands or fingers. Characteristic capillaroscopy findings are commonly seen in MCTD and jMCTD, which may represent a crucial and key clue for classification as well as prognosis in these patients.
METHODS: We present a young male patient, with symptom onset as early as age 13, who was diagnosed with MCTD at age 16 and found to have high titers of anti-U1snRNP antibodies, Raynaud\'s phenomenon, synovitis, and swollen hands and fingers. Most interestingly, his video capillaroscopy at diagnosis was abnormal and revealed an active SSc-like pattern. His presentation and course are described.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that based on existing data, and as highlighted by this case presentation, nailfold video capillaroscopy should be included as an early screening tool for the detection of microangiopathy in patients with the diagnosis MCTD and jMCTD. Additionally, given its prevalence in this population at disease diagnosis, we recommend consideration be given to nailfold video capillaroscopy as a potentially important classification criteria and prognostic tool for jMCTD and MCTD.

Diabetic sclerodactyly is a frequently recognized skin finding that may occur in patients with diabetes mellitus but coexistence of diabetes and systemic sclerosis is rare. We describe a case of coexistence of type 1 diabetes mellitus and systemic sclerosis in 42-year-old man with the history of Raynaud\'s phenomenon, progressive diffuse hardening of the skin and sclerodactyly, slowly worsening with time. The medical history included type 1 diabetes since childhood with microvascular complications. The patient presented a typical capillaroscopic scleroderma-like pattern, antinuclear antibodies and sclerotic lesions in gastrointestinal system. Summing up, our case represents the rare coexistence of autoimmune diseases like diabetes mellitus type 1 and systemic sclerosis.

Hajdu-Cheney syndrome (HCS) is a rare disease which causes osteoporosis, digit shortening, and early tooth loss. In a young HCS female patient, the nailfold capillaroscopy showed reduced capillary height and reduced density in all affected fingers. Capillaroscopy could improve follow-up and therapy assessment in HCS. Hajdu-Cheney syndrome (HCS) is a very rare connective tissue disease characterized by osteoporosis, early dentition loss and a particular phenotype as a result of enhanced NOTCH2 signaling. The pathogenesis of bone resorption and osteoporosis is not fully understood. The altered angiogenesis may play a role in acroosteolysis. We performed capillaroscopy in order to assess the microvascular involvement in a 21-year-old female patient with sporadic HCS. The patient presented with severe parodontopathy, acroosteolysis, and clubbing of four fingers and three toes. Hand radiographs showed periarticular osteoporosis and asymmetric bony involvement with acral resorption and/or transversal lucency bands in several fingers. Early collagen-vascular diseases were ruled out by clinical and ancillary examinations, including immunology and immunoblot for systemic sclerosis. Nailfold capillaroscopy showed reduction of capillary height and density in all affected fingers. Notably, in the fingers with acral resorption, many capillaries were dilated, while in the ones with radiolucency band, capillary dilation was a rare finding. In clinically unaffected fingers, the capillaroscopic findings were normal.To our knowledge, this is the first report of capillaroscopic findings in HCS. The nailfold capillaroscopic aspect reflects the involvement of acral vessels in HCS; thus, capillaroscopy may represent an early diagnostic tool as well as a means of therapeutical assessment. Repeated capillaroscopy in HCS may also add to the understanding of its pathogenesis.