News

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…

Specific features of lesions associated with active disease in juvenile localized scleroderma — such as redness but not skin thickness — were identified in a study, and its researchers suggest they may be used to assess disease activity in young patients. The findings may be the first step toward a specific,…

Men are at greater risk of more severe and active systemic sclerosis (SSc) than are women at early stages of the disease, a large review study shows. The study, “Gender differences in early systemic sclerosis patients: a report from the EULAR scleroderma trials and research group (EUSTAR)…

The presence of moderate or severe small joint contractures, finger ulcerations, and the severity of Raynaud’s phenomenon show the strongest association with impaired hand function in scleroderma patients, a study reports. The study, “The association of sociodemographic and disease variables with hand function: a Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network cohort…

The analysis of gene profile in blood samples may help identify scleroderma patients who could benefit most from stem cell transplant, a research study suggests. The study findings were discussed at the recent 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, in the presentation “…

With the U.S. midterm elections now less than two weeks away, patient advocacy groups are solidly focused on a range of hot-button issues, from the Orphan Drug Tax Creditand affordable health insurance to future funding for rare disease research. Yet “whether Democrats take over the House or Senate, or…

Additional evidence that the antioxidant protein Nrf2 is a key regulator of fibrosis and autoimmunity in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients has been described in a new study, providing further proof that this molecule may be a viable therapeutic target for treatment of the disease. The study, “…

Stem cell transplant confers superior and long-lasting clinical benefits compared to conventional treatment with Cytoxan cyclophosphamide in people with severe systemic scleroderma, including better functional ability and disease control, and prolonged survival, long-term extension data from a Phase 2/3 clinical trial show. The study, “…