Scleroderma Medical News: August 2007

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August 2007

Low Dietary Nutrient Intakes and Respiratory Health in Adolescents. Adolescents with the lowest dietary intakes of antioxidant and antiinflammatory micronutrients had lower pulmonary function and increased respiratory symptoms, especially among smokers, suggesting that adequate dietary intake may promote respiratory health and lessen the effects of oxidative stress. Chest. 2007; 132:238-245. (Also see: Pulmonary Involvement and Scleroderma and Diet )

Clinical features of scleroderma patients with contracture of phalanges (CP). Our study suggested that the presence of CP may be a marker of oesophageal involvement, pulmonary fibrosis and heart involvement. PubMed Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Aug;26(8):1275-7. (Also see: Joint Contractures, Esophageal Involvement, Pulmonary fibrosis, Cardiac Involvement )

Scleroderma renal crisis: patient characteristics and long-term outcomes. Poor renal outcome was associated with lower blood pressure at presentation, and with higher age in those requiring dialysis. Steroid use, microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, and antibody profile were not related to renal outcome. PubMed Quarterly Journal of Medicine. 2007 Aug;100(8):485-94. (Also see: Renal Involvement )

Effect of Clonazepam on Raynaud's Phenomenon and Fingertip Ulcers in Scleroderma. We report a case of Raynaud's phenomenon and digital ulcers responding to clonazepam. Further research is warranted to test the robustness of this preliminary finding. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Vol. 41, No. 9, pp. 1544-1547. 2007. (Also see: Raynaud's and Digital Ulcers )

Successful pregnancy with the use of nitric oxide donors and heparin after recurrent severe preeclampsia in a woman with scleroderma. Nitric oxide donors and heparin may play a preventive role on placental dysfunction in scleroderma. PubMed. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Aug;197(2):e6-7. (Also see: Scleroderma and Pregnancy )

Erectile Dysfunction in Systemic Sclerosis: Effects of Longterm Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase Type-5 on Erectile Function and Plasma Endothelin-1 Levels, In men with SSc-related ED, once-daily tadalafil improved both erectile function and vascular measures of cavernous arteries. J Rheumatol 2007;34:1712-7. (Also see: Sexuality and Scleroderma )

High-dose immunosuppressive therapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for severe systemic sclerosis: long-term follow-up of the US multicenter pilot study. The estimated progression-free survival was 64% at 5 years. Sustained responses including a decrease in dermal fibrosis were observed exceeding those previously reported with other therapies. Blood, 15 August 2007, Vol. 110, No. 4, pp. 1388-1396. (Also see: Stem Cell Tranplants )

Disease and Symptom Burden in Systemic Sclerosis: A Patient Perspective. Patients with SSc report significant symptomatic and emotional burdens, which, in turn, affect their Quality Of Life (QOL) and psychological well-being. J Rheumatol 2007;34:1718-26. (Also see: Emotional Adjustment )

The Effects of Medications on Bone. Corticosteroids and cancer chemotherapeutic agents generally affect bone adversely and increase fracture. J Am Acad Orthop Surg, Vol 15, No 8, August 2007, 450-460. (Also see: Medications and Skeletal Involvement )

Normal Bowel Function Restored After Oxygen Therapy in Systemic Sclerosis and Colonic Inertia. Colorectal involvement with obstructed defecation is a common complication of progressive systemic sclerosis (pSSc), compromising quality of life and placing patients at risk for life-threatening complications. J Rheumatol 2007; 34:1777-8. (Also see: GI involvement )

Depression in patients with systemic sclerosis: A systematic review of the evidence. Symptoms of depression are common among patients with SSc. There is a need for studies that examine depression at different time points from the diagnosis of SSc and that systematically investigate factors associated with high levels of depressive symptoms. (Wiley InterScience) Arthritis Care & Research. Volume 57, Issue 6, Pages 1089 - 1097. 30 July 2007. (Also see: Emotional Adjustment )

Clinical subsets, skin thickness progression rate (STPR), and serum antibody levels in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with anti-topoisomerase I antibody. Anti-topo I antibody-positive patients with SSc with a rapid STPR have reduced survival rates, primarily due to early and often fatal renal and cardiac involvement. This information is important for managing physicians and researchers planning clinical trials involving patients with early dcSSc. (Wiley InterScience) Arthritis & Rheumatism.Volume 56, Issue 8, Pages 2740 - 2746. July 30 2007. (Also see: Antibodies and Diffuse Scleroderma )

Fast and efficient healing of scleroderma-associated acral ulcers with sildenafil. This case demonstrates the efficacy of sildenafil in the treatment of scleroderma-associated refractory acral ulcers. PubMed (Hautarzt) 2007 Jul 22. (Also see: Digital Ulcers and Pulmonary Hypertension )

Hand vascular involvement assessed by magnetic resonance angiography in systemic sclerosis. Impairment of the microcirculation is a cardinal feature of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) has improved the assessment of vascular lesions of the hand. The aim of this study was to evaluate vascular abnormalities in the hands of patients with SSc, using MRA. (Wiley InterScience) Arthritis & Rheumatism.Volume 56, Issue 8, Pages 2747 - 2754. July 30 2007. (Also see: Raynaud's and Digital Ulcers )

Maximum blood flow and microvascular regulatory responses in systemic sclerosis (SSc). SSc patients have abnormal microvascular regulatory responses compared with primary Raynaud's phenomenon and controls. This study also suggests that the degree of endothelial dysfunction may be related to the degree of peripheral vascular involvement. Rheumatology Volume 46, Number 7 Pp. 1079-1082. (Also see: Raynaud's )