News

Milder SSc symptoms seen in patients with PBC liver disease

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a disease that causes inflammation and scarring of the liver bile ducts, have milder symptoms that rarely lead to major complications, compared to patients with SSc alone. A study with that finding also determined SSc-only patients had a higher incidence…

Review examines prevalence of depression in SSc patients

Having a higher level of education or being married may mean fewer symptoms of depression for people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a systematic review of multiple studies. Researchers also observed that lung involvement, breathing problems, and tender joints were linked to more symptoms of depression, but…

Case highlights challenges of treating SSc after COVID-19

A woman developed scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis (SSc), after she contracted COVID-19, according to a case report that highlights the challenges of treating complex autoimmune conditions. Treatment with a corticosteroid led to scleroderma renal crisis, “highlighting the risk of steroid use in all patients with systemic sclerosis,”…

Blood biomarker index helps diagnose SSc-ILD: Study

An index comprising three blood biomarkers was strongly associated with a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, a study in Australia shows. The index was also associated with disease severity, independent of lung function. “Our data supports further investigation of composite biomarker indices as…