Connective Tissue Dysregulation. Varying patterns evident in GDD.

Skin and subcutaneous tissues together form a major organ which stores Gd, and therefore also suffers the consequences of GDD and NSF/GISF. Many forms of skin changes are observed. Skin discoloration of many types is common and one of the principle findings in GDD. Skin/subcutaneous tissue thickening (often called doughiness) is common, so is regional atrophy, and wrinkling. Severe wrinkling which would be termed cutis laxa, fortunately is quite rare. Irregular contour of regions, particularly the abdomen are also uncommon. Atrophy, and bands of fibrosis causing disfigurement are difficult to resolve and for most at present, do not resolve even with successful chelation. Huge scars, termed keloids also uncommonly occur.

NSF/GISF hallmark features are skin/subcutaneous tissue hardening (woodiness), reddening, and contractures. These tissue changes are extremely common in NSF/GISF and fortunately rather uncommon in GDD. In animal models this has been described as a response to the release of pro-fibrotic cytokines.

I have now come to realize that probably these constellation of findings, which likely also affect deep organs represent a global connective tissue dysregulation, that can manifest multiple forms.

It should be considered for GDD, and realistically most forms of disease, disease causes a perturbation of the entire network of organs and functions of the body. Fortunately unlike conditions like severe nondefined Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), GDD is a disease with a clear root cause, and clear treatment (chelation with high stability constant chelator) that can resolve the entire web of dysfunctions. Great care must be taken with treating non-root cause MCAS as change in any one particular element, such as increasing glutamate intake, may in principle be a good idea, but in isolation may cause overload and infact harm. As I have described for GDD and chelation, treating generalized metabolic conditions, MCAS, mitochondrial dysfunction and many others also require paying attention to the Goldilocks principle, but further complicating it is not so clear often which elements or supplements very much depend on tight observation of Goldilocks. The narrow range of skin/subcutaneous tissue irregularities likely reflect dysregulation of collagen and elastin.

So my present research efforts, and I will team with expert in Metabolics, is to treat the broader additional conditions that may have led to GDD, or have arisen after GDD-= specifically with focus on connective tissue dysregulation and cellular integrity.

Stay tuned,

Richard Semelka, MD.