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Milk-derived extracellular vesicles — very small, natural particles from cow’s milk — were shown to safely reduce inflammation and scarring in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Because these vesicles carry molecules that can protect and help tissue repair itself, they “have attracted much attention due to their…

In people with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), certain skin features, including levels of specific molecules and cells, depend on disease duration, a study finds. These features, combined with disease duration, allowed researchers to predict patients’ response to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an immunosuppressive therapy commonly used for dcSSc. These…

More than a third of adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who develop interstitial lung disease (ILD) see their condition progress, and those who reported increasing shortness of breath in the past month had a higher risk of death — even if their breathing tests have not declined — an…

Researchers in China have identified five genes — COL1A2, COL3A1, COL15A1, THY-1, and CCL19 — that may play a key role in lung complications associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a study. Using bioinformatics analyses of patient tissue samples, the team found that these genes were consistently overactive…

People with scleroderma may have slightly elevated symptoms of anxiety compared to the general population, particularly those in specific sociodemographic subgroups, an international study reported. Researchers found that several demographic features, such as being younger or non-white, as well as disease features, including gastrointestinal symptoms, were associated with higher…

Increasing levels of self-reactive antibodies in the bloodstream after the start of treatment are associated with the progression of systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to recent research. “We hypothesize that rising antibody [levels] during treatment may reflect ongoing immune activation, insufficient therapeutic response, or impending flare, whereas decreasing [levels] may…

The presence and severity of interstitial lung disease in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) are associated with a specific combination of bacteria in the gut, a study suggests. “These species or their metabolic products may influence ILD [disease processes] and represent novel treatment targets,” the study’s researchers wrote. The…

Sexual dysfunction is common among people with systemic scleroderma, but is rarely discussed between patients and their doctors, a new study shows. In the study, “Sexual dysfunction and perceptions of rheumatologist engagement on this issue in patients with systemic sclerosis,” the researchers said the reasons for…

Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the virus that causes mononucleosis, may increase the risk of developing systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a new analysis of genetic data. Findings also indicate that SSc is less likely to develop in people who’ve been infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or SARS-CoV-2, the…

Modifying mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) — a type of stem cell found in various tissues and, in this case, taken from the umbilical cord of mice — and using clumps of them in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis (SSc) was found to ease signs of skin and lung…