Scleroderma Medical News by Date

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May 2009

Systemic sclerosis in Sarawak: a profile of patients treated in the Sarawak General Hospital. This study demonstrates the rarity of systemic sclerosis in a multi-ethnic groups, predominantly Chinese, Sarawak natives and Malays with considerable lag time to diagnosis. Diffuse cutaneous systemic scleroderma was more common with rare pulmonary hypertension and renal involvement. C. L. The Rheumatology International 17 April 2009. (Also see: Ethnicity, Race, and Geography)

Is Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Really a Late Complication of Systemic Sclerosis? In contrast to the expected scenario, early onset PAH occurred in approximately half of SSc patients. Early onset PAH was as frequent among patients with diffuse as limited SSc. Annual screening for PAH should be implemented immediately after SSc diagnosis for all patients. Eric Hachulla, MD, PhD Chest May 2009. (Also see: Pulmonary Hypertension)

Experience with rituximab (RTX) in scleroderma: results from a 1-year, proof-of-principle study. The results of this small scale study indicate that RTX may improve lung function in patients with SSc. Dimitrios Daoussis Rheumatology. May 15, 2009. (Also see: Rituximab/Rituxan)

The efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP): a literature review and meta. There is a need for well-designed trials of CAM in RP. Biofeedback does not work for RP, therapeutic gloves may improve RP. Laser may be effective but the improvement may not be clinically relevant. D. Malenfant. Rheumatology Advance Access. May 11 2009. (Also see: Treatments for Raynaud’s)

Ethnic Influence on Disease Manifestations and Autoantibodies in Chinese-Descent Patients with Systemic Sclerosis. Patients of Chinese descent have milder SSc disease with less frequent joint and gastrointestinal manifestations, less severe vasculopathy, but increased prevalence of myositis and certain autoantibodies. Research is needed to identify determinants (genetic, environmental, and cultural factors) of the relationship between ethnicity and disease. Andrea H.L. Low. The Journal of Rheumatology April 1, 2009 vol. 36 no. 4 787-793. (Also see: Ethnicity, Race and Geography)

Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) among Nigerians. Scleroderma among Nigerians is rare as elsewhere and there are certain common characteristics as seen elsewhere as well as certain differences. Adelowo OO. (PubMed) Clin Rheumatol. 2009 May 13. (Also see: Ethnicity, Race and Geography)

Capillaroscopic skin ulcer risk index: A new prognostic tool for digital skin ulcer development in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The early detection of SSc patients who are at high risk to develop digital ulcers could allow a preventive treatment of these complications with reduction of morbidity and social costs. The aim of our study was to develop a capillaroscopic skin ulcer risk index (CSURI) that can predict the onset of new digital ulcers by using nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) in patients with SSc. M. Sebastiani.(UnBound) Arthritis Rheum 2009 Apr 29; 61(5):688-694. (Also see: Digital Ulcers)

Medium-dose is more effective than low-dose ultraviolet A1 phototherapy for localized scleroderma as shown by 20-MHz ultrasound assessment. Medium-dose provides for better long-term results than low-dose UVA1 in Localized Scleroderma as shown by ultrasound assessment. With clinical scoring, no significant difference between the two UVA1 dose regimens was detected, indicating that ultrasound measurement is a more sensitive method for quantifying treatment-induced skin changes in patients with LS. Paul-Gunther Sator MD. May 5, 2009. (Also see: Morphea Treatments)

Autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis: clinical interest and diagnosis approach. Despite the diagnosis of scleroderma is mainly clinical, these different autoAbs constitute a diagnosis and prognosis tools by defining immuno-clinical substes of the disease. Identifying those autoantibodies requires a diagnostic strategy with two steps: the indirect immunofluorescence remains the better means of ANA tracking, leading thereafter to other identification specific methods, such immunoprecipitation, ELISA or immunoblotting. B. Admou. Ann Biol Clin (Paris). 2009 May-Jun. (Also see: Autoantibodies in Scleroderma)

Exercise Peripheral Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) Accurately Reflects Arterial Oxygen Saturation (SaO2) and Predicts Mortality in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Among patients with SSc interstitial lung disease (ILD), SpO2 is an adequate reflection of SaO2, and radial arterial lines need not be inserted during cardiopulmonary exercise test in these patients. Jeffrey J Swigris Thorax. 8 April 2009. (Also see: Pulmonary Fibrosis)

Peripheral Arterial Stiffness and Endothelial Dysfunction in Idiopathic and Scleroderma Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Our study shows a trend towards increased arterial stiffness in scleroderma (nonsignificant), and also peripheral endothelial dysfunction in idiopathic-PAH and in scleroderma-PAH. These findings suggest involvement of different vessels in scleroderma-PAH compared to idiopathic-PAH. Nir Peled JRheum. April 2009, 36 (4). (Also see: Pulmonary Hypertension)

Mitral regurgitation. The main causes are classified as degenerative (with valve prolapse) and ischaemic (ie, due to consequences of coronary disease) in developed countries, or rheumatic (in developing countries). These results emphasise the importance of early detection and assessment of mitral regurgitation. M. Enriquez-Sarano FACC. The Lancet, Volume 373, Issue 9672, Pages 1382 - 1394, 18 April 2009. (Also see: Cardiac Involvement)