Author Archives: Steve Bryson PhD

People with scleroderma who were treated with Tracleer (bosentan) to prevent digital ulcers — open sores on the fingers or toes — saw their risk of developing pulmonary hypertension (PH) lowered almost four times, a study found. The study, “…

Brain cancer associated with a viral infection was found in two people with scleroderma after doses of their immunosuppressive therapies were reduced, a case series reports.  The findings suggest that either immunosuppression reduced viral clearance, leading to cancer, or removing such therapies…

The molecule lysyl oxidase (LOX) plays key roles in promoting skin and lung scarring in scleroderma and may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for the disease, a study suggests.  The study, “Lysyl Oxidase…

Treatment with abatacept led to a reduction in skin stiffening and disability, as well as better overall health, in people with early diffuse cutaneous scleroderma (dcSSc) who participated in the yearlong Phase 2 ASSET trial and its six-month extension, new 18-month data show.

Rituximab, in combination with CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil), reverses the decline in lung function in people with interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with scleroderma (SSc) who did not respond to immunosuppressant therapies, a study suggested. The study, “…

A triple combination of prednisolone, cyclophosphamide and plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) was effective against skin thickening in seven of eight people with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), a case series study reports. These results support further investigation into treating newly diagnosed dcSSc patients with this combination…

EHP-101, an oral therapy based on cannabidiol (CBD), has been placed on fast track development by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a potential treatment of systemic…

A statistical model applied to a widely used measure of skin thickening in people newly diagnosed with systemic sclerosis (SSc) identified five classes that may predict organ involvement and survival rates. Using these predictive classes — based on the…

Immune players known as dendritic cells play a key role in scleroderma development in the skin and may represent a new target for effective treatments, a mouse study suggests. The study, “Regulation of skin fibrosis by RALDH1-producing dermal dendritic cells via…

Localized scleroderma affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young people, causing joint and muscle pain, putting limits on physical activity, and hurting body image, a study found. Teasing from peers, unwanted questions from others, and side effects from treatment were…