People with scleroderma have abnormal levels of several fatty molecules and their body’s ability to remove excess cholesterol is lower when compared with healthy peers, according to a recent study. This impaired ability to remove excess cholesterol may contribute to an increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis and…
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Having lung involvement increases the risk of in-hospital mortality, the length of hospital stays, and the costs related to hospitalization in people with scleroderma, a study of U.S.-based data finds. The study, “Lung involvement in systemic sclerosis is associated with adverse hospital outcomes: insights from the…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Actemra (tocilizumab) to slow lung function decline in adults with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). “We are honored to offer the very first FDA-approved biologic treatment option to…
Many diseases have their own awareness color — breast cancer is pink, muscular dystrophy is green, and AIDS is red, for example — but what’s the significance of pink, green, blue, and purple lights side-by-side? These are the colors most often used to represent Rare Disease Day. This…
A stem cell transplant can lessen skin thickness and improve lung function in people with scleroderma, a longitudinal study found. These findings are in agreement with previous reports, its researchers state, and they support the use of stem cell transplants as a treatment option for patients with severe and…
An elderly woman with scleroderma limited to her skin also developed the autoimmune disorder ANCA‐associated vasculitis (AAV), which led to nerve damage in her lower limbs, a case study described. The researchers recommended that patients with scleroderma who experience tingling…
Diagnosed with sickle cell disease as a 6-month-old, Tristan Lee has faced a lot of challenges over his 37 years of life. But from a young age, he also learned how to turn those trials into triumphs. At age 9, a stroke due to his disease left him paralyzed…
Although not a distinctive symptom of scleroderma, lower back pain is a major contributor to the chronic pain felt by people in the earliest disease stages, a study based on a patient viewpoints reported. Physicians should pay more attention to lower back pain and other non-specific symptoms of scleroderma,…
High doses of corticosteroids may be given alongside rituximab, used at lower doses, without affecting the kidneys of people with scleroderma, a study reports. The retrospective study, “Effect of short interval rituximab and high‐dose corticosteroids on kidney function in systemic sclerosis: long‐term experience of…
Rare Disease Day at NIH, organized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and taking place on March 1, will feature panel discussions, patient stories, research updates, TED-style talks, and a presentation by a Nobel laureate recently recognized for her work on a gene editing tool. The free, virtual…
Recent Posts
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