These collagen vascular disease thesis topics are intended for MD Medicine and DNB Medicine candidates studying rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory myopathies, Sjögren syndrome, systemic vasculitides, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and connective tissue disease overlap syndromes. The emphasis is on designs that can be completed within one thesis period using patients, structured rheumatological examination, validated disease-activity and functional scales, routine laboratory investigations, autoantibody testing, pulmonary function testing, echocardiography and imaging already obtained during standard care. Strong projects define the rheumatic disease phenotype precisely, distinguish activity from accumulated damage and functional disability, and account for treatment exposure when interpreting laboratory or organ manifestations. The same framework can be adapted for connective tissue disease research topics, an MD Medicine rheumatology protocol or a DNB Medicine rheumatology synopsis before final discussion with the postgraduate guide.
Last reviewed and updated: September 2026 · 2026–27 admissions
Our MD Medicine Thesis Guidance provides structured protocols, sample size formulas, and institutional review board (IRB) layout guides.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Clinical profile and pattern of extra-articular manifestations among adults with rheumatoid arthritis attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of disease activity with functional disability among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between duration of rheumatoid arthritis and functional limitation among adult patients: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis with low and high disease activity: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of erythrocyte sedimentation rate with clinical disease activity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between C-reactive protein concentration and functional disability among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein with clinical disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of rheumatoid factor positivity with disease activity and extra-articular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Association of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positivity with disease severity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical manifestations in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of anaemia among adults with rheumatoid arthritis and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of haematological parameters between patients with active and inactive rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of haemoglobin concentration with functional status among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of iron deficiency among patients with rheumatoid arthritis presenting with anaemia: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic inflammation among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adults with rheumatoid arthritis and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Association of serum vitamin D concentration with functional disability in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among adults with rheumatoid arthritis receiving long-term pharmacotherapy: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of body mass index with disease activity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of disease activity among normal-weight, overweight, and obese adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of metabolic syndrome with disease activity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of cardiovascular risk factors between adults with rheumatoid arthritis and age-matched individuals without inflammatory arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of systemic hypertension among adults with rheumatoid arthritis and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Association of diabetes mellitus with functional impairment among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of dyslipidaemia among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its relationship with inflammatory activity: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of serum uric acid concentration with metabolic abnormalities among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis patients with and without thyroid dysfunction: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of pulmonary involvement among adults with rheumatoid arthritis evaluated by clinical examination, chest radiography, and spirometry: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of respiratory symptoms with disease duration among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of pulmonary function abnormalities between rheumatoid arthritis patients with and without respiratory symptoms: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of interstitial lung abnormalities among symptomatic adults with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing high-resolution computed tomography: a cross-sectional study
Association of rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody levels with interstitial lung involvement in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of disease activity with echocardiographic abnormalities among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of asymptomatic left ventricular diastolic dysfunction among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with short and long disease duration: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults with rheumatoid arthritis and their association with functional disability: a cross-sectional study
Association of anxiety symptoms with disease activity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between sleep quality and disease activity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of sleep disturbance between patients with low and high rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of sarcopenia among adults with rheumatoid arthritis and its association with functional impairment: a cross-sectional study
Association of handgrip strength with disease activity and disability among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of nutritional status between patients with active and inactive rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of osteoporosis risk factors among postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of cumulative glucocorticoid exposure with low bone mineral density among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of bone mineral density between rheumatoid arthritis patients with and without long-term glucocorticoid exposure: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of medication adherence with disease activity among adults receiving treatment for rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between health literacy, treatment adherence, and disease activity among adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Clinical and immunological profile of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Distribution of major organ manifestations among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Association of disease activity with functional status among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between duration of systemic lupus erythematosus and cumulative organ involvement: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical manifestations between patients with low and high systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of complement levels with clinical disease activity among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibody levels and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of complement levels in adults with active and inactive systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibody positivity with renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence and pattern of anaemia among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Association of anaemia with disease activity among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of haematological manifestations in active and inactive systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and their association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Clinical and laboratory profile of thrombocytopenia among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of lupus nephritis among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional study
Association of proteinuria with serological markers of disease activity among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between serum albumin and renal involvement among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical and serological features in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with and without renal involvement: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of urine sediment abnormalities with systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of hypertension among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and its association with renal involvement: a cross-sectional study
Association of estimated glomerular filtration rate with disease activity among patients with lupus nephritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of neuropsychiatric manifestations among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of cognitive impairment with disease activity among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Relationship between depressive symptoms and functional disability among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of headache among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Clinical profile of seizures among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of pulmonary manifestations among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Association of respiratory symptoms with pulmonary function abnormalities among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of pulmonary function parameters between systemic lupus erythematosus patients with and without respiratory symptoms: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of pleural involvement among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of echocardiographic abnormalities among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Association of disease activity with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension detected by echocardiography among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of cardiovascular risk factors between adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and age-matched individuals without autoimmune disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Association of glucocorticoid exposure with metabolic syndrome among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of dyslipidaemia among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of serum vitamin D concentration with disease activity among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of vitamin D status in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with low and high disease activity: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical and immunological characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus patients with and without autoimmune thyroid disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of medication adherence with disease activity among adults receiving treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between treatment adherence, health literacy, and functional status among adults with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional observational study
Systemic Sclerosis
Clinical profile and pattern of organ involvement among adults with systemic sclerosis attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of limited cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of disease duration with extent of skin involvement among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between skin thickening severity and functional impairment among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of Raynaud phenomenon-related digital complications among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study
Association of digital ulceration with disease duration and skin involvement among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of systemic sclerosis patients with and without digital ulcers: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of interstitial lung disease among adults with systemic sclerosis evaluated by high-resolution computed tomography: a cross-sectional study
Association of respiratory symptoms with interstitial lung involvement among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between pulmonary function abnormalities and high-resolution computed tomography extent of lung involvement in systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of pulmonary function parameters between limited cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of resting oxygen saturation with radiological extent of interstitial lung disease among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension detected by echocardiography among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study
Association of echocardiographic pulmonary artery pressure with functional limitation among patients with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of systemic sclerosis patients with and without pulmonary hypertension: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study
Association of cardiac abnormalities with disease duration among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of gastrointestinal manifestations among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms with interstitial lung involvement in systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of dysphagia among adults with systemic sclerosis and its association with nutritional status: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of nutritional status between systemic sclerosis patients with and without gastrointestinal involvement: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of undernutrition among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of body mass index with functional disability among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of anaemia among adults with systemic sclerosis and its association with disease severity: a cross-sectional study
Prevalence of renal dysfunction among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of systemic hypertension with renal dysfunction among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical manifestations in systemic sclerosis patients with and without thyroid dysfunction: a comparative cross-sectional study
Clinical, pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, and nutritional profile of adults with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies
Clinical profile of adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical manifestations of dermatomyositis and polymyositis among adults: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of muscle enzyme levels with muscle weakness severity among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between serum creatine kinase concentration and functional impairment among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of muscle enzyme abnormalities between dermatomyositis and polymyositis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of dysphagia among adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional study
Association of dysphagia with muscle weakness severity among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of nutritional status between inflammatory myopathy patients with and without dysphagia: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of respiratory symptoms among adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of respiratory symptoms with pulmonary function abnormalities among patients with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of interstitial lung disease among adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical and laboratory characteristics of inflammatory myopathy patients with and without interstitial lung disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of anti-synthetase antibodies with pulmonary involvement among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional analytical study
Clinical profile of anti-synthetase syndrome among adults presenting with inflammatory myopathy or interstitial lung disease: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of arthritis among adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional study
Association of cutaneous manifestations with disease severity among adults with dermatomyositis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Clinical spectrum of cutaneous manifestations among adults with dermatomyositis: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities among adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a cross-sectional study
Association of cardiac abnormalities with muscle enzyme elevation among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of anaemia and hypoalbuminemia among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of serum albumin with functional status among adults with inflammatory myopathy: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of vitamin D status between patients with mild and severe muscle weakness due to inflammatory myopathy: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of malignancy-associated clinical features among adults with dermatomyositis evaluated at diagnosis: a cross-sectional observational study
Clinical, laboratory, pulmonary, swallowing, and functional profile of adults with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a cross-sectional observational study
Sjögren Syndrome
Clinical profile and spectrum of glandular and extraglandular manifestations among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of dry eye and dry mouth symptoms among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional study
Association of severity of sicca symptoms with functional impairment among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical manifestations of primary and secondary Sjögren syndrome: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of fatigue among adults with Sjögren syndrome and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Association of fatigue severity with anaemia and thyroid dysfunction among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of arthritis and arthralgia among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of systemic manifestations in Sjögren syndrome patients with and without inflammatory arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional study
Association of peripheral neuropathy with functional limitation among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of pulmonary manifestations among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of respiratory symptoms with pulmonary function abnormalities among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of interstitial lung abnormalities among symptomatic adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of Sjögren syndrome patients with and without pulmonary involvement: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of renal tubular abnormalities among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of hypokalaemia with renal involvement among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of sicca and systemic manifestations between Sjögren syndrome patients with and without autoimmune thyroid disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of anaemia among adults with Sjögren syndrome and its association with systemic manifestations: a cross-sectional study
Association of hypergammaglobulinemia with extraglandular manifestations among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between anti-Ro antibody positivity and systemic manifestations among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical manifestations between anti-Ro antibody-positive and antibody-negative Sjögren syndrome: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional study
Association of sleep disturbance with fatigue severity among adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study
Clinical, immunological, neurological, pulmonary, renal, and endocrine profile of adults with Sjögren syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Systemic Vasculitides
Clinical and organ involvement profile of adults with systemic vasculitis attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Distribution of small-vessel, medium-vessel, and large-vessel vasculitides among adults evaluated at a tertiary care centre: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical manifestations of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and immune-complex vasculitis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of inflammatory markers with extent of organ involvement among adults with systemic vasculitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of renal involvement among adults with systemic vasculitis: a cross-sectional study
Association of haematuria and proteinuria with renal dysfunction among adults with systemic vasculitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of vasculitis patients with and without renal involvement: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of pulmonary manifestations among adults with systemic vasculitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of pulmonary involvement with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positivity among adults with systemic vasculitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of pulmonary manifestations in granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Clinical and laboratory profile of adults with granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of upper respiratory tract manifestations among adults with granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional study
Association of upper respiratory tract disease with pulmonary involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of renal dysfunction among adults with granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Clinical profile of adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of peripheral eosinophil count with organ involvement in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of respiratory manifestations in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of neuropathy among adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional study
Association of eosinophilia with neurological involvement in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Clinical profile of adults with polyarteritis nodosa attending a tertiary care centre: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy among adults with polyarteritis nodosa: a cross-sectional study
Association of systemic hypertension with renal and vascular involvement among adults with polyarteritis nodosa: a cross-sectional analytical study
Clinical profile of adults with Takayasu arteritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Prevalence and pattern of pulse and blood pressure abnormalities among adults with Takayasu arteritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of angiographic extent of vascular involvement with clinical manifestations in Takayasu arteritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of patients with localised and extensive Takayasu arteritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of hypertension among adults with Takayasu arteritis and its association with renal artery involvement: a cross-sectional study
Prevalence of cardiac abnormalities among adults with Takayasu arteritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of inflammatory markers with clinical activity among adults with Takayasu arteritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein with clinical activity in Takayasu arteritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Axial Spondyloarthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis
Clinical profile of adults with axial spondyloarthritis attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of disease activity with functional disability among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between duration of inflammatory back pain and spinal mobility among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of erythrocyte sedimentation rate with disease activity among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Relationship between C-reactive protein concentration and functional limitation in ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of inflammatory markers in patients with low and high ankylosing spondylitis disease activity: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of peripheral arthritis among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of peripheral arthritis with disease activity among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of enthesitis among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of enthesitis burden with functional impairment among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of acute anterior uveitis among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of ankylosing spondylitis patients with and without a history of uveitis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of gastrointestinal symptoms with peripheral manifestations among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of pulmonary function abnormalities among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional study
Association of chest expansion with spirometric parameters among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of pulmonary function between patients with short and long duration of ankylosing spondylitis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of disease duration with echocardiographic abnormalities among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of body mass index with disease activity among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of cardiovascular risk-factor burden between adults with axial spondyloarthritis and age-matched controls: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of serum vitamin D concentration with disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of osteoporosis risk factors among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional study
Association of spinal mobility restriction with functional disability among adults with ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults with axial spondyloarthritis and their association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Association of sleep quality with functional impairment among adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Clinical, inflammatory, musculoskeletal, extra-articular, and functional profile of adults with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Psoriatic Arthritis and Reactive Arthritis
Clinical profile and pattern of joint involvement among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of extent of skin psoriasis with arthritis severity among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of peripheral and axial psoriatic arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of enthesitis among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of enthesitis with functional disability among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of dactylitis among adults with psoriatic arthritis and its association with disease activity: a cross-sectional study
Association of nail psoriasis with joint disease pattern among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of musculoskeletal manifestations in psoriatic arthritis patients with and without nail involvement: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of obesity with disease activity among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of cardiovascular risk factors between adults with psoriatic arthritis and patients with psoriasis without arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of serum uric acid concentration with metabolic abnormalities among adults with psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults with psoriatic arthritis and their association with functional disability: a cross-sectional study
Clinical profile of adults with reactive arthritis attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Distribution of articular and extra-articular manifestations among adults with reactive arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Association of preceding genitourinary or gastrointestinal symptoms with clinical pattern of reactive arthritis: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of enthesitis and dactylitis among adults with reactive arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of reactive arthritis following gastrointestinal and genitourinary infections: a comparative cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical, inflammatory, and functional characteristics of psoriatic arthritis and reactive arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and Overlap Syndromes
Clinical and immunological profile of adults with mixed connective tissue disease attending a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
Distribution of major organ manifestations among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional study
Association of disease duration with cumulative organ involvement among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of Raynaud phenomenon among adults with mixed connective tissue disease and its association with vascular complications: a cross-sectional study
Association of swollen hands with disease activity among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of arthritis among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of inflammatory arthritis with functional disability among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of myositis among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional study
Association of serum muscle enzyme levels with muscle weakness among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of pulmonary manifestations among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of respiratory symptoms with pulmonary function abnormalities among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of interstitial lung disease among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical characteristics of mixed connective tissue disease patients with and without interstitial lung disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of pulmonary hypertension with functional limitation among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of oesophageal and gastrointestinal manifestations among adults with mixed connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional study
Comparison of clinical manifestations of mixed connective tissue disease and systemic sclerosis overlap syndrome: a comparative cross-sectional study
Clinical profile of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis overlap syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of haematological, renal, and articular manifestations between mixed connective tissue disease and systemic lupus erythematosus overlap syndromes: a comparative cross-sectional study
Clinical, immunological, pulmonary, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal profile of adults with connective tissue disease overlap syndromes: a cross-sectional observational study
Cross-Cutting Manifestations and Comorbidities in Connective Tissue Diseases
Comparison of anaemia prevalence among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of anaemia with functional disability across common connective tissue diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of vitamin D status among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and axial spondyloarthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of vitamin D deficiency with disease activity across common inflammatory rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of metabolic syndrome prevalence among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriatic arthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of obesity with disease activity across common inflammatory rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of cardiovascular risk-factor burden among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and axial spondyloarthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of asymptomatic cardiac abnormalities among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional observational study
Association of inflammatory activity with echocardiographic abnormalities among adults with connective tissue diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of pulmonary function abnormalities among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, and mixed connective tissue disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of interstitial lung involvement among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases presenting with respiratory symptoms: a cross-sectional study
Association of resting oxygen saturation with extent of interstitial lung involvement across connective tissue diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of pulmonary hypertension prevalence among systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and mixed connective tissue disease: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional observational study
Comparison of thyroid dysfunction among rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, and systemic sclerosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among adults with common connective tissue diseases: a cross-sectional study
Association of psychological symptom burden with functional disability among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of sleep quality among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and axial spondyloarthritis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of poor sleep quality with inflammatory disease activity among adults with rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Prevalence of undernutrition and sarcopenia among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional study
Association of handgrip strength with functional disability across common connective tissue diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of medication adherence among adults with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
Association of health literacy with medication adherence among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional analytical study
Comparison of functional disability, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and psychological symptoms across common connective tissue diseases: a comparative cross-sectional study
Spectrum of musculoskeletal, haematological, renal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, and functional abnormalities among adults with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases attending a tertiary care medicine department: a cross-sectional observational study
Not the general medicine subspeciality you need? Collagen vascular diseases is one section of our full general medicine collection — the hub page lists every subspeciality, each with its own free topic list. Updated September 2026.
📌 Updated for 2026–2027 MD Medicine/DNB Medicine Collagen Vascular Diseases admissions
The page has been reviewed for feasibility in postgraduate medicine departments where most rheumatology research can be completed with structured clinical assessment, routine inflammatory markers, autoantibody profiles and clinically indicated cardiopulmonary or renal investigations.
Most projects can be completed with disease-activity scales, functional assessment, complete blood counts, ESR, C-reactive protein, renal and liver tests, autoantibodies, urinalysis, spirometry, echocardiography and clinically indicated imaging.
Research-only cytokine panels, advanced molecular biomarkers, expensive immunophenotyping or serial high-resolution imaging are not required for most practical dissertation designs.
Publication potential is strongest when disease classification, activity score, treatment exposure and organ-involvement criteria are fixed before recruitment and analysed without reusing score components as independent predictors.
Generate a protocol from any topic above
Select Generate Protocol → beside any title in the list above and receive a submission-ready document built around that topic, containing all eighteen components:
Introduction / Synopsis
Research Question
Aim of the Study
Primary Objective
Secondary Objectives
Materials and Methods
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Sample Size Calculation
Methodology
Statistical Analysis
Ethical Considerations
Review of Literature
References
Gantt Chart / Study Timeline
Patient Information Sheet
Consent Form
Data Collection Form
Already have your thesis title?
Generate the full collagen vascular diseases protocol directly — objectives, methodology, sample size, statistics, timeline, references and annexures.
Alongside collagen vascular diseases protocols and synopses, support is also available for departmental presentations, journal club presentations, ethics committee presentations, and posters and oral presentations for medical conferences — for postgraduate residents, board trainees and research scholars across India and the GCC. Prepared by a practising doctor with long experience in medical publishing and thesis supervision.
The topics above work as research questions anywhere — what changes is the document the institution expects, and who approves it before data collection begins. The Gulf equivalent of an Indian synopsis is the collagen vascular diseases research proposal submitted to an institutional review board, and it ordinarily carries three sections an Indian synopsis does not: a Gantt chart, a budget and resources section, and a Declaration of Helsinki statement.
Board and residency programmes — country by country
Saudi Arabia — SCFHS and the Saudi Board. Residency and fellowship training under the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties includes a research project with a set timeline, and the collagen vascular diseases research proposal is the document prepared at the outset and cleared by the institutional review board before recruitment starts.
United Arab Emirates — DHA, DOH Abu Dhabi and MOHAP. Residents training in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates prepare a collagen vascular diseases research protocol for their programme and submit it for institutional review board approval before any data are collected.
Qatar — DHP (formerly QCHP) and Hamad Medical Corporation. A collagen vascular diseases IRB proposal is reviewed before recruitment, with the ethics section written to the institution's own template rather than a generic one.
Bahrain — NHRA. Trainees turning collagen vascular diseases research topics into a project need the proposal cleared by their institutional research and ethics committee before fieldwork begins.
Oman — OMSB. Residency programmes under the Oman Medical Specialty Board include a research component, and the collagen vascular diseases research proposal is the document assessed at the start of it.
Kuwait — KIMS. A collagen vascular diseases study protocol goes to the institutional committee for approval before the project begins.
Arab Board programmes across the region. The Arab Board carries its own research requirement irrespective of the host country, and the collagen vascular diseases proposal follows the same structure throughout.
Postgraduate degrees — Malaysia, the Gulf and beyond
Malaysia — MMed, the National Medical Research Register and MREC. A collagen vascular diseases dissertation proposal for a Master of Medicine programme carried out in a Ministry of Health facility must be registered on the NMRR and approved by the Medical Research and Ethics Committee before the study begins, and the guidance asks for submission four to six months ahead of data collection. Every investigator on the study team registers on the NMRR as well, so the methodology, ethics and team sections are written in far more detail than an Indian synopsis requires.
PhD and Master's candidates elsewhere. University programmes generally require a full collagen vascular diseases research proposal of roughly 6,000 to 10,000 words, with an extended literature review, a theoretical framework and a detailed methodology chapter.
PhD and MMed proposals are written individually by a medical doctor and revised until the supervisor accepts them. They are not produced by the automated protocol generator.
🔥 Trending research areas in Collagen Vascular Diseases for 2026–27
Current dissertation opportunities increasingly focus on multidomain disease assessment, treatment-related comorbidity and early organ involvement rather than descriptive clinical profiles alone.
Cardiopulmonary involvement: interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, diastolic dysfunction and subclinical respiratory impairment are feasible when imaging or physiological criteria and referral indications are standardised.
Metabolic and cardiovascular risk: obesity, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and metabolic syndrome can be studied alongside inflammatory activity when glucocorticoid exposure and disease duration are recorded as confounders.
Frailty, sarcopenia and functional disability: these measures are increasingly relevant across rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis when physical-performance tools do not duplicate the components of the activity scale.
Overlap and phenotype research: connective tissue disease overlap syndromes, seropositive and seronegative phenotypes, and organ-dominant presentations offer useful questions when classification criteria are applied consistently rather than retrospectively inferred from treatment labels.
Protocol and synopsis guidance
What a Collagen Vascular Diseases protocol must contain
Disease classification: State the criteria used to classify rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory myopathy, Sjögren syndrome, vasculitis, spondyloarthritis or an overlap syndrome. A previous chart diagnosis alone should not be the only inclusion criterion when phenotypes overlap.
Activity versus damage: Disease activity, irreversible organ damage and functional disability are different constructs. The protocol should name the instrument used for each and avoid interpreting chronic deformity or established fibrosis as active inflammation.
Treatment exposure: Glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, biologic therapy and immunosuppression can alter ESR, C-reactive protein, blood counts, lipid profile, bone health and infection risk. Dose, duration and current treatment should be recorded where relevant.
Avoid circularity: If ESR, C-reactive protein, complement, proteinuria, joint counts or other variables are already components of the chosen disease-activity score, testing the same variable as an independent predictor of that score creates a built-in association.
Organ-involvement definition: Pulmonary, renal, cardiac, neurological and gastrointestinal manifestations should be defined with objective criteria. Symptoms alone should not be treated as equivalent to confirmed organ involvement.
Collagen Vascular Diseases synopsis versus Collagen Vascular Diseases protocol
Synopsis: The synopsis should state the rheumatic disease, study design, principal exposure or biomarker, disease-activity or organ outcome, approximate sample size and broad statistical plan in a concise form suitable for academic review.
Protocol: The protocol must define classification criteria, activity and damage instruments, treatment exposure, timing of laboratory measurements, organ-involvement criteria, imaging or physiological reference standards and handling of overlap syndromes.
Why the distinction matters: A synopsis may propose correlating C-reactive protein with rheumatoid arthritis activity, but the full protocol must specify the activity instrument, whether C-reactive protein is already included in that instrument, how current glucocorticoid or disease-modifying treatment is recorded and whether the analysis measures independent association or merely agreement with a score component.
Sample size and statistical analysis
Match sample size to the primary objective: Estimating prevalence of interstitial lung involvement, comparing seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, correlating a biomarker with functional disability and evaluating predictors of renal involvement require different calculations.
Avoid component-versus-composite analysis: A biomarker or clinical finding that already contributes to a disease-activity score should not be treated as an independent predictor of that same score without acknowledging the mathematical dependence.
Control treatment and disease-duration confounding: Glucocorticoid exposure, immunosuppressive therapy, disease duration, age, obesity and comorbidity may influence metabolic, cardiovascular, bone and infection outcomes. These variables should be planned in the analysis when central to the question.
Use appropriate methods for ordinal outcomes: Activity categories, functional classes, radiological grades and organ-involvement scores may be ordinal rather than normally distributed continuous variables. Statistical methods should match the measurement scale and distribution.
1. How do I choose a feasible Collagen Vascular Diseases topic for the 2026–2027 academic year?
Start with a rheumatic disease that your medicine or rheumatology service sees often enough to recruit within the planned data-collection period. Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and common connective tissue disease manifestations usually provide more practical recruitment than very rare overlap syndromes. Prefer one primary domain such as disease activity, renal involvement, pulmonary involvement, metabolic risk or functional disability rather than combining many unrelated outcomes into one dissertation.
2. Which study designs are usually accepted for a Collagen Vascular Diseases dissertation?
Feasible designs include cross-sectional observational and analytical studies, comparative studies between defined phenotypes, retrospective record-based cohorts, short prospective cohorts and studies of organ involvement using a predefined clinical, imaging or physiological reference standard. The design should follow the research question rather than defaulting to a cross-sectional label.
3. What should I settle with my guide before finalising a Collagen Vascular Diseases topic?
Agree on the exact classification criteria, disease-activity instrument, primary outcome, treatment variables, required autoantibody or laboratory tests, organ-involvement definition and expected case load. Decide in advance how overlap syndromes, seronegative cases and patients already receiving immunosuppression will be handled.
4. Can I use routine inflammatory markers and autoantibody tests for my Collagen Vascular Diseases thesis?
Yes, provided their role is defined correctly. ESR and C-reactive protein are non-specific and can be altered by infection, anaemia, obesity and treatment. Autoantibody positivity may support classification or phenotype definition but does not automatically measure current disease activity. The protocol should distinguish diagnostic, prognostic and activity-related use of each test.
5. What is the difference between a Collagen Vascular Diseases synopsis and a Collagen Vascular Diseases protocol?
The synopsis presents the research question, rheumatic disease population, study design, principal variables and broad analysis plan. The protocol converts that idea into a reproducible method by defining classification criteria, disease-activity and damage instruments, treatment exposure, timing of measurements, organ-involvement criteria, sample-size assumptions and statistical analysis.
6. What ethical issues should I address in a Collagen Vascular Diseases study?
Prospective studies should obtain informed consent, while record-based retrospective studies may qualify for an ethics-approved waiver of consent. If children are included, guardian consent and child assent from about seven years should be addressed. No additional radiation, contrast study, high-resolution computed tomography, biopsy or research-only venepuncture should be added merely for the dissertation unless scientifically justified and approved. If extra blood is required, the protocol should state the blood-volume limit.
Separate consent is required for identifiable photographs or video of skin, joint or gait findings. Incidental clinically important abnormalities such as suspected interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, severe renal involvement, significant cytopenia or possible malignancy should have a named escalation pathway to the treating team. Imaging datasets should be anonymised before research use.
7. How do I avoid circular associations when studying disease activity in Collagen Vascular Diseases?
Inspect every component of the disease-activity score before selecting predictors. If ESR, C-reactive protein, complement level, proteinuria, joint counts or another variable already contributes to the score, an association between that variable and the total score may be partly mathematical rather than biologically independent. Use an external outcome such as functional disability, objectively defined organ involvement or a score that does not contain the proposed predictor, or clearly describe the analysis as an assessment of score components rather than independent prediction.
8. Can a Collagen Vascular Diseases dissertation later support a PhD or Gulf board research pathway?
Yes, but the documents serve different purposes. An MD or DNB synopsis is usually a bounded residency dissertation plan, while a PhD proposal generally requires a broader research gap, more extensive methodology and a programme of work beyond one residency project. Gulf pathways may also require a separate board research project under SCFHS and the Saudi Board, the Arab Board of Health Specializations, or DHP, DHA, DOH and MOHAP-linked training programmes. The same rheumatology question can sometimes be adapted, but supervision, ethics, format and institutional requirements should be checked for the specific programme.
9. When should I register my Collagen Vascular Diseases dissertation?
Register after the classification criteria, activity or organ outcome, primary predictor, sample-size basis and expected recruitment rate have been agreed with the guide. Confirm that the required autoantibody tests, pulmonary function testing, echocardiography or imaging are available consistently before final registration.
Found a topic that fits your department?
Generate its full protocol — objectives, methodology, sample size, statistics, timeline, references and annexures — in editable format.
