Scleroderma Medical News: October 2007

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October 2007

Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in the diagnosis of skin diseases. We conclude that UBM is a non-invasive diagnostic tool in dermatology which can be used to give valuable information about disease progress and the effectiveness of therapy. PubMed. Eur J Dermatol. 2007 Oct 19;17(6):469-475. (Also see: Morphea and Psoriasis )

Severe fibrosis and increased expression of fibrogenic cytokines in the gastric wall of systemic sclerosis patients. A pronounced deposition of collagen, the presence of myofibroblasts, and increased expression of several profibrotic factors are important hallmarks in the stomach of patients with SSc. Wiley InterScience. Arthritis and Rheumatism. Volume 56, Issue 10, Pages 3442 - 3447. (Also see: GI Involvement )

Sudden Hearing Losses Prompt Label Change for PDE5 inhibitors. The FDA said it found 29 reports of sudden hearing loss, sometimes temporary, associated with the erectile dysfunction agents after scouring the Adverse Event Reporting System. There have also been cases of sudden hearing loss reported in patients using Revatio (sildenafil) for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Medpage Today. 10/22/07. (Also see: FDA Warnings, Raynaud's, Ear Involvement, and Pulmonary Hypertension )

Viagra (sildenafil citrate) Information, FDA Warning. FDA received reports of sudden decreases or loss of hearing following the use of PDE5 inhibitors, Viagra, Levitra, Cialis for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and Revatio for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. U.S. FDA. 10/22/07. (Also see: Ear Involvement, Raynaud's and Pulmonary Hypertension )

Tracleer(R) Shows Clinical Benefit As Combination Therapy With Sildenafil For Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Data from both studies suggest that Tracleer, when given in combination with sildenafil, is well-tolerated and improves hemodynamics in PAH patients. Medical News Today. 10/24/07. (Also see: Pulmonary Hypertension and Bosentan )

Assessment of abnormal blood flow and efficacy of treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis using a newly developed microwireless laser Doppler flowmeter and arm-raising test. Cutaneous blood flow (CBF) assessment using micromachined integrated laser blood flowmeter and an arm-raising test is accurate, noninvasive and well tolerated and thus the combination may be a better alternative method to evaluate abnormal CBF and efficacy of treatment in patients with SSc. British Journal of Dermatology, Vol 157, No 4, Oct 2007, pp. 690-697(8). (Also see: Digital Ulcers )

Scleroderma patients nailfold videocapillaroscopic patterns are associated with disease subset and disease severity. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy, a simple, non-invasive and non-expensive investigation, is useful in staging scleroderma patients and also provides prognostic information. Rheumatology 2007 46(10):1566-1569. (Also see: Prognosis and Mortality, and Nailfold Capillaroscopy )

Specific Proteins Identified in Whole Saliva from Patients with Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). It is possible that some of them (whole saliva proteins) can be defined as new therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers for SSc disease. J Rheumatol 2007;34:2063-9. (Also see: Diffuse Scleroderma )

Characteristics of Patients with Early Systemic Sclerosis and Severe Gastrointestinal Tract Involvement. Our findings strongly suggest the existence of a subgroup of SSc patients with severe GIT involvement in the early stage. Among the Japanese individuals, these patients never developed severe ILD, even though they were classified as having diffuse cutaneous SSc. J Rheumatol 2007;34:2050-5. (Also see: GI Involvement and Pulmonary Fibrosis )

Diagnosing Pulmonary Fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is one of many interstitial lung diseases that scar lung tissue. Scarring and stiffening of the alveoli decrease transport of oxygen across the alveolar membrane. Advance News Magazine for Physician Assistants. (Also see: Pulmonary Fibrosis )