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Activation of certain immune cells in scleroderma (SSc) may be linked to infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), researchers showed. The study, “Epstein-Barr virus lytic infection promotes activation of Toll-like receptor 8 innate immune response in systemic sclerosis monocytes,” appeared in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy. The human immune system…

Scleroderma patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who respond well to treatment have more lung artery side branches than patients who respond poorly, according to a study. A milestone in the study was that researchers used an imaging method that had never been used in a scleroderma study. It allows…

The number of white blood cells known as CD16+ monocytes is notably greater in the blood of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients when skin or lung fibrosis is present, researchers said, recommending that these cells be studied further to determine if they contribute to fibrosis development in SSc. The study, “CD16-positive circulating…

Stretching increased skin movement, reduced skin thickness and improved mobility in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis (SSc), researchers reported. The study suggests that stretching is an under-used non-pharmacological way to treat SSc and deserves further investigation. The research, “Stretching reduces skin thickness and improves subcutaneous tissue mobility…

Blood vessel-dilating treatments increase blood flow equally well in digital ulcers on fingertips and in extensor surface ulcers, which occur on the opposite side of joints. This shows that a lack of blood supply — and therefore oxygen to the tissue — cause both types of ulcers in scleroderma patients.

Physician adherence to guidelines for screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) was found to be poor in Australia, according to a multi-center research study that evaluated the percentage of doctors who adhere to recommended SSc guidelines. The study, “Epidemiology and disease…

Corbus Pharmaceuticals will present results showing that Resunab (JBT-101), the company’s cannabis-derived treatment for systemic sclerosis (SSc), can trigger specific molecular pathways which resolve inflammation and halt fibrosis. The data will be presented by Michael L. Whitfield, PhD, a molecular biology professor at Dartmouth and scientific founder of Celdara Medical,…

A new study from France found that treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), known to have anti-fibrotic activity, is effective in improving muscle, joint and digestive tract function in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study, “Intravenous immunoglobulins in systemic sclerosis: data from a French nationwide cohort of 46 patients…

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) linked to scleroderma have worse outcomes than those with idiopathic PAH, with survival times of less than half of iPAH patients. The difference is likely tied to numerous factors, but older age and a poor transfer of gas (abnormal oxygen-carbon monoxide transfer) in the…

People with systemic sclerosis (SSc) frequently experience foot problems, but foot assessment and healthcare for SSc patients are still inadequate, according to new research. The study, “Biomechanical Podiatric Evaluation In An Italian Cohort Of Patients With Systemic Sclerosis: A Pilot Study,” was published in the European Journal of…