Lindsey Shapiro, PhD, science writer —

Elevations in two indices of body-wide inflammation are associated with greater disease activity in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, according to a recent study. The two inflammatory markers — called the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and platelet-to-hemoglobin ratio (PHR) — were also associated with skin ulcers, and musculoskeletal and pulmonary…

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) were more likely to have a diffuse cutaneous (dcSSc) disease type and certain cardiovascular complications than patients without ILD, according to a recent study in China. Those with the lung condition were also significantly more likely have elevated levels…

A new study has found that defects in centromeres — specific regions of chromosomes — are evident in skin cells from people with systemic sclerosis (SSc). People with diffuse cutaneous (dcSSc) and limited cutaneous (lcSSc) forms of the disease showed specific alterations relative to healthy people, but chromosomal…

Blood levels of the periostin protein were associated with the degree of skin and cardiac involvement, but not lung or blood vessel involvement, in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a study found. Levels of the protein also were higher in patients with diffuse forms of SSc, those living with…

The levels of a small RNA molecule called microRNA-27a, or miR-27a, are significantly lower in the blood of women with systemic sclerosis (SSc) compared with healthy women, a study shows. Thus, “MiR-27a could serve as a reliable diagnostic marker for SSc,” researchers wrote, adding that the molecule “could be…

Tobacco use by systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients is linked to worsening gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, but the immunosuppressive and anti-scarring medications used to treat the autoimmune disease aren’t, according to a recent analysis of data from a multicenter, U.S.-based patient registry. The findings are striking in light of previous…

People with systemic sclerosis (SSc) have lower-than-normal levels of the SPAG17 protein in their skin cells, which contributes to the excessive scarring that marks the disease, a study suggests. Mice lacking the protein developed signs of scarring, or fibrosis, consistent with that seen in people with SSc, also called scleroderma,…

Levels of a protein called soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (sST2) were linked to signs of cardiac involvement in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a study found. Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a molecule that binds to sST2, was associated with worse skin scarring in patients. The findings suggest sST2 could be a…

Raloxifene, a medication used to prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women, was able to reduce fibrosis, or scarring, in cell and mouse models of systemic sclerosis (SSc). The research team noted that the patient stem cell-based model they used offers a promising way to evaluate therapeutic candidates for rare…

The investigational oral therapy APT-101 was well tolerated and reduced fibrosis, or scarring, in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a recent presentation from the therapy’s developer, Apie Therapeutics. Apie is developing APT-101 to treat interstitial lung disease (ILD), a term that encompasses a group…