| Scleroderma Medical News by Date |
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| April 2009 |
| Severe fibrotic changes and altered expression of angiogenic factors in maternal scleroderma (SSc): placental findings. In SSc placentas, severe fibrosis and abnormal vascular remodelling were detected. This may result in reduced blood flow leading to deep sufferance of maternal placenta and possible premature delivery. Lidia Ibba-Manneschi. Ann Rheum Dis. 30 March 2009. (Also see: Pregnancy and Scleroderma) |
| Ulnar artery vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis. It is suggested that angiographic screening and early surgical intervention such as revascularization should be considered in patients with systemic sclerosis who manifest a severe form of Raynaud’s phenomenon and/or digital ulceration and especially in patients with diffuse sclerosis. Jeong Ha Park. Rheumatology International. April 12, 2009. (Also see: Raynaud’s and Digital Ulcers) |
| Depression and low bone mineral density (BMD): a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies. Depression is associated with low BMD, with a substantially greater BMD decrease in depressed women and in cases of clinical depression. Depression should be considered as an important risk factor for osteoporosis. Q. Wu. Osteoporosis International. April 03, 2009 (Also see: Osteoporosis in Scleroderma and Depression and Scleroderma) |
| Treatment with imatinib prevents fibrosis in different preclinical models of systemic sclerosis and induces regression of established fibrosis. These results indicate that combined inhibition of the tyrosine kinase c-Abl and PDGF receptor might be effective in the later, less inflammatory stages of SSc and for the treatment of established fibrosis. Thus, imatinib might be an interesting candidate for clinical trials in patients with longstanding disease and preexisting tissue fibrosis. Akhmetshina A. (PubMed). Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Jan;60(1):219-24. (Also see: Clinical Trials and Medications) |
| Unmet Patient Needs in Systemic Sclerosis. The greatest prevalence of unmet needs in the psychologic/spiritual/existential domain. Understanding each patient's specific unmet needs either through direct questioning or by the use of a questionnaire such as the one used for this study can help clinicians to give better care to each of our patients. Tamara T. Rubenzik, Journal of Clinical Rheumatology April 2009. Vol 15. Issue 3. pp 106-110. (Also see: Emotional Adjustment) |
| Quality of Life (QOL) in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc)Compared to the General Population and Patients with Other Chronic Conditions. Health-related QOL of patients with SSc is significantly impaired compared to that of the general population and is comparable to or worse than that of patients with other common chronic conditions: namely heart disease, lung disease, hypertension, diabetes, and depression. M. Hudson. Journal of Rheumatology. April 1, 2009 vol. 36 no. 4 768-772. (Also see: Quality of LIfe with Scleroderma) |
| High Incidence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Our data show an increased prevalence of celiac disease in patients with SSc. E. Rosato. J. Rheum. March 30 2009. (Also see: Celiac Disease and Shared Autoimmunity) |
| Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents with juvenile localized scleroderma (JLS). JLS patients have some impairment in skin disease-specific HRQOL when compared with a healthy reference population, but not as severe as that seen in Atopic Dermatitis patients. Overall HRQOL in this JLS cohort was as good as healthy controls, a reassuring finding for patients, families and healthcare providers. N. M. Orzechowski. Rheumatology. March 31, 2009. (Also see: Juvenile Scleroderma) |
| Fludarabine and Total-Body Irradiation Followed By Donor Peripheral Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Severe Systemic Sclerosis. This phase II trial is studying how well giving fludarabine together with total-body irradiation followed by a donor peripheral stem cell transplant works in treating patients with severe systemic sclerosis. Clinical Trials.gov 04/02/09. (Also see: Scleroderma Clinical Trials) |
| Current concepts in disease-modifying therapy for systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD): Lessons from clinical trials. Newer therapies for SSc patients with ILD include mycophenolate mofetil, cyclophosphamide, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib, dasatinib), and anti-interleukin-13 monoclonal antibody. Several uncontrolled trials have reported favorable results of mycophenolate mofetil in SSc-related ILD. Karen Au. (Metapress) Current Rheumatology Reports. Volume 11, Number 2 / April, 2009. (Also see: Pulmonary Fibrosis) |
| A score of risk factors associated with ischemic digital ulcers (DUs) in patients affected by systemic sclerosis treated with iloprost. In this retrospective study, scleroderma patients with ischemic DUs are characterized by early disease onset, delay in beginning iloprost therapy, smoking habit, and presence of joint contraction. A score reflecting the sum of these factors may be useful to predict the risk of developing ischemic DUs. P. Caramaschi. (Springerlink) Clinical Rheumatology. March 20, 2009 (Also see: Digital Ulcers and Smoking) |
| Prevalence and factors associated with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in the EULAR Scleroderma Trial and Research group (EUSTAR) database of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The prevalence of LV dysfunction in SSc is 5.4%. Age, male gender, digital ulcerations, myositis and lung involvement are independently associated with increased prevalence of LV dysfunction. Conversely, calcium channel blocker (CCB) use may appear as protective. Y Allanore Ann Rheum Dis. 10 March 2009 (Also see: Cardiac Involvement and Diastolic Dysfunction) |
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