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Mike Berry had a life like any other 42-year-old man — married to wife Christine and a newborn son, Troy — when he was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma fourteen months ago. Berry, who was born in Kingston, Canada, started experiencing shortness of breath, and the physicians discovered that he suffered…

A study entitled “FibronectinEDA Promotes Chronic Cutaneous Fibrosis Through Toll-Like Receptor Signaling” recently published in Science Translational Medicine reports the discovery of the role of a new protein, fibronectin extra domain A, in scleroderma. The discovery may explain what causes the onset of the disease…

A new study entitled “Increased frequency of class I and II anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma and associated factors: a comparative study” published in October issue of the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases reports increased levels of anti-HLA antibodies in the…

Systemic sclerosis, often characterized by thickened skin and connective tissue, may be a result of increased signaling pathways. According to a study from University College London Medical School and the Musculoskeletal Biology University of Liverpool, published online ahead of print in Arthritis & Rheumatism, an increase in mTOR/AKT signaling…

In 90% of all scleroderma patients, gastrointestinal (GI) tract problems lead to uncomfortable and dangerous complications. Malnutrition, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are among the symptoms that plague GI tract-involved scleroderma patients. Understanding how these problems develop could lead to large gains in quality of life of affected patients and…

A new study entitled “Joint and tendon involvement predict disease progression in systemic sclerosis: a EUSTAR prospective study,” published in August issue of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, reports joint synovitis and tendon friction rubs can predict for early Systemic sclerosis progression. In this study,…

A new study entitled “Collagenous Colitis in Systemic Sclerosis: An Overlooked and Treatable Complication” published in Journal of Clinical Rheumatology highlights the possible occurrence of Collagenous Colitis with Systemic Sclerosis, and thus should be considered for therapeutic intervention by clinicians. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease…

Scleroderma can often be a side effect of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as it occurs in 15.5% of chronic GVHD patients within five years. Patients are diagnosed with a condition known as sclerodermatous chronic GVHD (scGVHD) and are at…

A new study entitled “Vascular Receptor Autoantibodies in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated with Systemic Sclerosis” published in the October issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reports that vascular antibodies can be prognostic biomarkers in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) associated with pulmonary arterial…

Rosa Johnson Scleroderma, an autoimmune disease, causes an abnormal toughening of the area of the body affected, which can be anywhere from the skin to internal organs, which leads to a steady loss of function. The Scleroderma Foundation estimates that about 300,000 Americans have scleroderma, and the disease is…