| Scleroderma Medical News by Date |
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| September 2008 |
| Centrilobular Fibrosis: An Underrecognized Pattern in Systemic Sclerosis. The impressive association of lung involvement and gastroesophageal reflux in scleroderma raises the possibility of a cause-effect relationship. (UnBound MedLine) de Souza RB. e Respiration 2008 Sep 18. (Also see: Pulmonary Involvement and Reflux) |
| A systematic comparison of fatigue levels in systemic sclerosis with general population, cancer and rheumatic disease samples. The high levels of fatigue reported in SSc were similar to patients with varying types and treatment stages of cancer and patients with other rheumatic diseases when assessed with the GFI, demonstrating that fatigue warrants greater attention in SSc. B.D. Thombs. Rheumatology 2008 47(10):1559-1563. (Also see: Fatigue) |
| The 6-minute walk test in scleroderma--how measuring everything measures nothing. Never fully validated in scleroderma, a variety of data suggest that many non-pulmonary aspects of scleroderma contribute to its results thereby blunting the ability of the 6MWT to measure change in lung function. (UnBound MedLine) Impens AJ. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2008 Oct.:v68-9. (Also see: Pulmonary Diagnosis and Pulmonary Fibrosis ) |
| Skin involvement in systemic sclerosis. The fully validated, feasible method ('gold standard') for measuring the dermal skin thickness is the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). Parallel method(s) for measuring skin thickness need to be used in the future. (UnBound MedLine) Czirják L. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2008 Oct.:v44-5. (Also see: Skin Involvement and Skin Fibrosis) |
| When healing turns to scarring: Research reveals why it happens and how to stop it. During tissue repair, specialized cells called myofibroblasts migrate to the wound where they generate the adhesive and tensile forces required for wound closure. Normally, these myofibroblasts then disappear from the wound. But if they persist and continue to make connective tissue, it can become too thick, preventing the organ from functioning properly. EurekAlert! 09/18/08. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: Endothelin and Fibroblasts) |
| A Polymorphism In The Human Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor Gene May Protect Against Systemic Sclerosis By Reducing Platelet Aggregation. Platelet aggregation may contribute to the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis: following activation platelets release significant amounts of serotonin which promotes vasoconstriction, fibrosis and further enhances aggregation. L, Beretta. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008, 10:R103. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma) |
| Esophageal dilatation on CT imaging can indicate scleroderma. The positive predictive value of esophageal dilatation for the diagnosis of SSc was 83 per cent and the negative predictive value was 69 per cent. MedicExchange.com. 09/03/08. (Also see: Medical Tests) |
| Low versus High-dose Iloprost Therapy Over 21 Days in Patients with Secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon and Systemic Sclerosis: A Randomized, Open, Single-center Study. Low-dose iloprost was shown to be equally effective as high-dose iloprost in longterm treatment and was very effective in therapy of digital ulcers. A. Kawald. J Rheumatol. July 15 2008. (Also see: Scleroderma Treatments, Raynaud's, Digital Ulcers, and Skin Fibrosis). |
| An Open-Label Pilot Study Of Infliximab Therapy In Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis (dcSSc). In dcSSc infliximab did not show clear benefit at 26 weeks but was associated with clinical stabilisation and fall in two laboratory markers of collagen synthesis. The frequency of suspected infusion reactions may warrant additional immunosuppression in any future studies in SSc. C. P. Denton. Ann Rheum Dis. 9 September 2008. (Also see: Remicade and Scleroderma Treatments) |
| Update on pediatric systemic sclerosis: similarities and differences from adult disease. The organ involvement pattern in both the groups becomes equal over the disease duration, but renal involvement is rare. The survival even after 20-year disease course seems more favourable for the juvenile onset patients. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 20(5):608-612, September 2008. (Also see: Juvenile Scleroderma) |
| Discrepancy Between Simultaneous Digital Skin Microvascular and Brachial Artery Macrovascular Post-Occlusive Hyperemia in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) . Microvascular function is impaired in SSc, whereas brachial artery endothelial function is normal. M. Roustit. J Rheumatol 2008; 35:1576–83. (Also see: Cardiac Involvement and Raynaud's) |
| The Association Between Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Vascular Disease. People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis have an increased risk of vascular disease in comparison to the general population. Richard B Hubbard. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. August 28, 2008. (Also see: Pulmonary Fibrosis and Cardiac Involvement) |
| Statins: Potentially Useful in Therapy of Systemic Sclerosis-related Raynaud's Phenomenon (RP) and Digital Ulcers (DU) . Our results showed that statins retarded vascular injury and improved patient function. The findings suggest that statins may aid in treating RP and DU in SSc patients. A. Abou-Raya. Journal of Rheumatology. August 15, 2008. (Also see: Raynaud's and Digital Ulcers) |
| New developments in localized scleroderma. Previous results, using methotrexate and phototherapy, have been confirmed. A successful use of bosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist with vasodilatative and antifibrotic properties for refractory cutaneous ulcerations in pansclerotic morphea, opens new horizons of treatment. Zulian, Francesco. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 20(5):601-607, September 2008. (Also see: Localized Scleroderma) |
| Sudden Cardiac Death in Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies: Sarcoidosis, Scleroderma, Amyloidosis, Hemachromatosis. Conduction system abnormalities are common, and each of these disorders has been associated with sudden cardiac death. Steven A. Lubitz, Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. Vol 51, Issue 1, Pages 58-73 (July 2008). (Also see: Cardiac Involvement and Sarcoidosis) |
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