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Treatment with rituximab appears to stabilize microcirculation — blood circulation in small vessels called capillaries — in patients with long-term diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc), a study suggests. The study, “Effects of treatment with rituximab on microcirculation in patients with long-term systemic sclerosis,” was published in BMC Research…

People with systemic sclerosis (SSc) are at higher risk for degeneration of a main wrist nerve, a study suggests. Although for many people this condition might be asymptomatic, early detection can help prevent further deterioration and problems with hand and finger movement. The study, “Median neuropathy…

Pacemaker implantation in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with secondary complete heart block (CHB) may be a required procedure to avoid clinical complications, according to recent case report. The case study, titled “Complete heart block in systemic sclerosis: A case report and literature review,” describes an SSc patient with…

Autoantibodies against fat molecules present in the membrane of cells, called antiphospholipid antibodies, are associated with an increased risk of blood clots and miscarriage among scleroderma (SSc) patients, a study reports. The study, “Prevalence and Clinical Associations of Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Systemic Sclerosis: New Data From a…

Inhibiting a key innate immunity protein known as TLR4 with a compound called TAK242 prevented and reversed skin and lung fibrosis (scarring) in mouse models, and eased the production of collagen in cells from scleroderma patients. The findings suggest that TAK242 may be a new therapeutic approach for people…

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is the main cause of death among systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, according to a recent Chinese cohort study. Researchers found SSc-related clinical features that associate with disease outcome, possibly helping future characterization of SSc. The study, “Prognostic profile of systemic sclerosis: analysis of the clinical…

High levels of CX3CL1, a pro-inflammatory molecule, in the lung tissue and blood are linked with pulmonary dysfunction in scleroderma (SSc) patients, a study reports. The study, “Augmented concentrations of CX3CL1 are associated with interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis,” was published in the journal PLOS One. Pulmonary complications, specifically…

A recent study found that short-term progression rate of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a better predictor of long-term survival than baseline ILD severity. ILD progression was clinically detected over a two-year period as a gradual decline in two lung function parameters: forced vital capacity (FVC,…

Non-invasive, local treatment of digital ulcers with ozone for 20 days showed clinical effectiveness in systemic sclerosis patients, according to a new study. The study, “Non-invasive Oxygen-Ozone Therapy in Treating Digital Ulcers of Patients with Systemic Sclerosis,” was published in the journal Acta Reumatológica Portuguesa, and was conducted…

Mutations in the FAM111B gene are rare in scleroderma patients and not associated with disease development, according to new research. This finding was reported in the study, “Mutations of FAM111B gene are not associated with Systemic Sclerosis,” published in the journal Scientific Reports. Although scleroderma has…