BACKGROUND Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disorder with unknown etiology. It is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in the connective tissues causing vascular disturbances which can result in tissue hypoxia. These changes are manifested as atrophy of the skin and/or mucosa, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, and internal organs. Such changes can be classified in...

A 24-year-old male presented with Raynaud's phenomenon, digital infarcts, salt and pepper pigmentation and characteristic facies. There was gastrointestinal involvement clinically, endoscopically as well radiologically. In view of these findings and the demonstration of anti-nuclear antibodies with a homogeneous pattern of immunofluorescence and ScL-70 antibodies, he was diagnosed as a case of ...

Introduction Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in childhood. Localized scleroderma also known as morphea is an inflammatory, fibrosing skin disorder that leads to sclerosis of the dermis and eventually of the underlying tissues. The prevalence is estimated at around 1-9/100,000 with the onset before 10 years of age in 2% of patients. The associatio...

Morphea (localized scleroderma) is an autoimmune disease characterized by sclerosis of the skin and, in some cases, subcutaneous tissue. It occurs in children and adults. It is distinct from systemic sclerosis, but may nevertheless be associated with significant functional and cosmetic impairment. Morphea has several distinct subtypes, including circumscribed, linear, and generalized, all of wh...

Received: Jan 09, 2013 Accepted: Jan 16, 2013 Ann Paediatr Rheum 2013; 2:43-49 DOI: 10.5455/apr.011620131348 Introduction Juvenile localized scleroderma ( JLS) is a childhood condition characterized by thickening of the skin. A variety of clinical subtypes have been described, differentiated by the size, shape, and location of skin involvement as well as the presence or absence of extra-cutaneo...