Capillary microscopy was performed on 19 patients with eosinophilic fasciitis. These patients were compared with 13 individuals with progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma). Capillary patterns were normal in 16 of 19 (84%) eosinophilic fasciitis patients; 3 exhibited either borderline or nonspecific changes, and none showed a definite scleroderma pattern. In contrast, characteristic nailfo...

To assess potential abnormalities in collagen metabolism in systemic scleroderma, skin fibroblast lines from patients with this disease were established and compared to control cell lines derived from healthy subjects. For studies on the biosynthesis of procollagen, the cells were incubated with [(14)C]proline in a medium supplemented with ascorbic acid and beta-aminopropionitrile, and the synt...

Five ectomycorrhizal species of Scleroderma were identified from herbarium and field-collected specimens from Argentina. A new hypogeous species, Scleroderma patagonicum, was recorded in association with native Nothofagus spp. in Patagonia. The epigeous species S. albidum, S. areolatum, S. bovista and S. citrinum were associated with various exotic tree species. A phylogenetic analysis based on...

Herein we report successful treatment of an adolescent Caucasian female with severe progressive localized scleroderma (mixed subtype, including generalized morphea and linear scleroderma of the trunk/limb) using infliximab and leflunomide. The patient demonstrated improvement after the first 9 months of therapy based on her clinical examination, objective measures, and patient and parent global...

Systemic and localized scleroderma are difficult to manage diseases with no accepted gold standard of therapy to date. Phototherapeutic modalities for scleroderma show promise. A PubMed search of information on phototherapy for scleroderma was conducted. The information was classified into effects on pathogenesis and clinical outcomes. Studies on photopheresis were excluded. There were no rando...

The pathogenesis of scleroderma encompasses vascular, immunological, and fibrotic processes, which contribute to clinical manifestations. We investigated the prevalence of anti-annexin V IgG and IgM antibodies in sera of scleroderma patients and their relation to the presence of other antibodies and development of disease morbidity. Sera of 40 scleroderma patients and 15 healthy controls were e...

OBJECTIVES To examine the frequency and correlates of fatigue and its impact on physical and social functioning in patients with scleroderma, and to investigate whether fatigue mediates an association between pain and physical function. METHODS One hundred and seven scleroderma patients attending an academic scleroderma specialty centre completed measures of fatigue, sleep, pain, depressive s...

To determine the pathogenesis of esophageal dysfunction in scleroderma and Raynaud's disease, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) was tested with: (a) methacholine acting directly at the cholinergic receptor on the muscle; (b) edrophonium, a cholinesterase inhibitor, enhancing the effect of released acetylcholine; and (c) gastrin I, acting through the release of acetylcholine. 10 patients with...

labmedicine.com November 2005 Volume 36 Number 11 LABMEDICINE 723 Systemic sclerosis is a chronic disease of unknown etiology characterized by abnormal accumulation of fibrous tissue in the skin and multiple organs.1 Scleroderma derives its name from the Greek words “sclerosis” (hardness) and “derma” (skin), thus aptly named “hard skin,” a feature that is common to all the different types of sc...

Generalized scleroderma is no longer considered strictly a dermatosis, but rather a disease of the connective tissue of various organs and systems. The pathological changes characterizing scleroderma have been thoroughly described and reviewed by Beerman.4 Of recent years, numerous investigators”34’679’2’4’16’7’922 have emphasized the frequency of myocardial and pericardial involvement in gener...