News

Scleroderma patients from Canada are seeking access to an experimental U.S. stem cell therapy to help fight the disease. A study pioneered by Dr. Richard Burt at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago features injecting stem cells intravenously, in an approach called Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT). HSCT therapy begins…

Most of the time, systemic sclerosis is associated with adulthood. However, juvenile systemic sclerosis (jSSc) is just as severe, despite a lack of published data concerning the condition. Fortunately, the five-year survival rate is high (95%), but according to “Systemic Scleroderma in Childhood: A Case…

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…