News

Given that systemic sclerosis can affect their appearance, many people with the condition are open to dermocosmetic and aesthetic treatments, a survey found. Patients said they would prefer to discuss their plans with a rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones) before…

An experimental oral therapy called ifetroban proved generally safe and was well tolerated in adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc) over one year of treatment, according to top-line findings from a Phase 2a clinical trial. The trial, called ASSIST-SSc study (NCT02682511), compared once-daily ifetroban against a placebo in 41…

A noninvasive imaging technique, which uses light to look at skin tissue over a wide area without actually touching it, can reliably measure the extent of scarring, or fibrosis, in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) — and may work better than measurements now in use in which clinicians track…

A noninvasive imaging tool called shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWE) helped detect increased muscle stiffness — specifically, a stiffer thigh muscle — in people with early systemic sclerosis (SSc), a study found. These results suggest that SWE — a technique that measures the stiffness or elasticity of tissues…

Certain digestive symptoms — bloating and chronic acid reflux — are associated with clinically relevant fatigue in people with systemic sclerosis, a study found. The study involved more than 100 people with SSc, also known as scleroderma. Patients with clinically relevant fatigue also had greater difficulties with everyday activities…

Different types of cancer that affect people with scleroderma occur at different times during the disease course and are associated with distinct self-reactive antibodies and complications, according to a large international study. Breast cancer, for example, tends to occur closer to scleroderma onset and is linked to anti-POLR3 antibodies,…

A simple, widely available blood test may help flag people with diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc) who are more likely to have interstitial lung disease (ILD), a serious complication marked by inflammation and scarring in the lungs, a study in Turkey found. Patients with ILD had a higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),…

Nearly half of people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) surveyed in Australia had considered using facial cosmetic therapies, while nearly one in 4 had used at least one such treatment, a study found. Treatments were mainly considered or used to address SSc-related facial changes, and patients reported perceived improvement with nearly…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to treprostinil, an inhaled therapy to treat Raynaud’s phenomenon — a cold, numb, or prickly sensation in the fingers and toes — associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-RP). The medication, approved under the brand name Yutrepia for the…

Oral treatment with vitamin B3 for a couple of weeks may reduce abnormalities in tiny blood vessels of people with scleroderma who have Raynaud’s phenomenon, a small study suggests. After two weeks of supplementation, participants showed more normal and fewer giant blood vessels under the fingernails, although these…