By Sylvia Foley, AJN senior editor

“Most of the local doctors … thought I was making this up.”—patient on online forum

Joint hypermobility is often characteristic of EDS. Photo © 2015 Suzbah / Dreamstime.com.

You might not have heard of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS), but chances are you’ve had a patient with this hereditary connective tissue disorder, which affects an estimated one in 5,000 people worldwide. The real number is probably higher. There are six types of EDS with widely varying presentations—and given the lack of consensus regarding diagnostic criteria, underrecognition seems likely.

Primary symptoms can include skin hyperelasticity, joint hypermobility, and general tissue fragility; the effects can be disabling and even life threatening. In one of this month’s CE features, “Nursing Management of Patients with Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome,” author Linda K. Anderson offers nurses a clear guide to this condition. Here’s a short summary: […]