TREATMENTS &
RESEARCH

Search the
latest
treatment
information
here.

Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist

Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.

Next Prev

Diseases » Scleroderma » Glossary

Glossary for Scleroderma

Alopecia: Various types of hair loss or balding
Amyloidosis: A rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage and is potentially fatal. Symptoms depend on the organs involved. There are numerous forms of the condition: primary amyloidosis, secondary amyloidosis, hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis and familial amyloidosis.
Arrhythmias: Irregularity in the heart's beating rhythm.
Arthritis: General name for any type of joint inflammation, but often means age-related osteoarthritis.
Atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a syndrome affecting arterial blood vessels. It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density (especially small particle) lipoproteins (plasma proteins that carry cholesterol and triglycerides) without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoproteins (HDL). It is commonly referred to as a hardening or furring of the arteries. It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries.
Atrial arrhythmia: Arrhythmia arising in the atrium.
Autoimmune diseases: A group of disorders in which the primary cause is the an inflammatory reaction caused by the body's own immune system attacking tissues
Blood vessel conditions: Conditions that affect the blood vessels
CREST syndrome: Group of symptoms usually related to systemic sclerosis
Calcinosis cutis: Deposit of calcium in the skin tissues. The deposits can result from skin that has suffered damage, inflammation, cancer or necrosis. It can also occur when there is abnormal calcium and phosphate metabolism within the body such as occurs when there are high blood calcium and/or phosphate levels. In other cases, it occurs for no apparent reason. One or more lesions may be present and the size and severity can vary considerably depending on the underlying cause. Some cases are benign and pose no problem.
Carcinoid syndrome: Carcinoid heart disease is a rare, metastatic disease that occurs predominantly in the right heart. The tricuspid and pulmonic valves are affected, leading to right heart failure, which results in increased morbidity and mortality.
Cardiomyopathy: Any disease of the heart muscle
Celiac Disease: Digestive intolerance to gluten in the diet.
Chronic constrictive pericarditis:
Chronic diarrhea: Diarrhoea lasting for more than 3 weeks
Collagenous Colitis: A chronic disorder of the digestive system characterized by inflammation and thickening of the large intestine lining.
Congestive Heart Failure: Inadequate pumping and decline of heart function common in the elderly.
Connective tissue disorders: Any condition affecting connective tissues.
Constipation: Difficult or dry bowel movements
Cryoglobulinemia: These are immune cells that precipitate in the cold and redissolve on warming.
Dental symptoms: Symptoms affecting teeth or mouth area.
Diabetes: Failing or reduced ability of the body to handle sugars.
Diabetic Diarrhea: Diarrhea that occurs in diabetics as a result of the damage done by diabetes to the digestive system. Digestive system damage is caused by intestinal neuropathy (damage to intestinal nerves) or bacterial overgrowth or both.
Diabetic Gastroparesis: Gastroparesis is a diabetic complication that occurs from neuropathy of the stomach nerve (called the "vagus nerve"). This causes digestive difficulties as the food starts to move too slowly through the stomach.
Digestive symptoms: Any symptoms affecting the digestive tract.
Eosinophilic fasciitis: A rare disorder where the skin on the limbs become painfully inflamed and looses it's elasticity.
Episcleritis: Localised, self limiting inflammation of the episclera (connective tissue overlying the sclera).
Esophageal stricture: Narrowing of the esophagus
Finger swelling: A swelling located on the finger or fingers
Finger symptoms: Symptoms affecting any fingers
Gastroesophageal reflux: Is referred to as the reflux of contents of the duodenum and stomach into the oesophagus
Graft-versus-host disease: A disease characterised by an immune response as a result of a transplantation or transfusion resulting in a widespread systemic inflammatory response
Hair loss: Loss or thinning of head or body hair
Heart complications: Any complication that relates to the heart
Heart failure: Slow failure of the heart (cardiac insufficiency).
Hepatocellular jaundice: A condition which is characterized by jaundice due to injury or damage to the hepatocellular cells of the liver
Human adjuvant disease: This is a connective tissue disease that affects some people after the injection of synthetic material for cosmetic surgery
Hyperpigmentation: Excess skin pigment or coloration
Hypertension: High blood pressure
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Lung fibrosis from unknown causes.
Irregular heartbeat: An irregular beat of a persons heart
Kidney disease: Reduced kidney function from various causes.
Leprosy: A chronic, progressive infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae which causes skin sores and also affects the eyes, mucous membranes and peripheral nerves.
Localized Scleroderma: A condition characterized by localized hardening of the skin
Lubarsch-Pick syndrome: A rare disorder involving abnormal amyloid deposits in various parts of the body - heart, skin, muscles, stomach and intestines.
Lung symptoms: Symptoms affecting one or both lungs.
Lupus: Autoimmune disease with numerous effects on various organs and linings.
Malabsorption syndrome: is an alteration in the ability of the intestine to absorb nutrients adequately into the bloodstream
Megacolon: Extreme bowel distention
Mixed connective tissue disease: A rare disorder of the connective tissue which affects a range of body tissues and organs.
Morphea: A condition which is characterized by connective tissue replacement of the skin with firm white patches
Muscle weakness: A condition which is characterized by an inability of the muscles to function at their full strenght
Mycosis fungoides: Mycosis fungoides is a rare form of T-cell lymphoma of the skin. The disease is typically slowly progressive and chronic.
Myositis: One of the underlying causes for muscle weakness/myopathy.
Nail abnormality: An abnormality of the finger and/or toe nails.
Pericardial effusion: Occurs when there is an abnormal collection of fluid within the pericardial sac
Pericarditis: Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart
Peripheral neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of the nerve or from the side-effects of systemic illness.
Pityriasis rubra pilaris: A chronic inflammatory skin condition
Pneumothorax: Air in the pleural spaces around the lungs.
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda: A rare metabolic condition involving a deficiency of the enzyme uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase. This results in a buildup of porphyrins in the skin which makes it sensitive to light. Most symptoms tend to primarily affected the areas of skin most exposed to sun e.g. back of hands and arms.
Potocki-Shaffer syndrome: A very rare syndrome caused by the absence of a portion of chromosome 11p and characterized mainly by bone growths, enlarged fontanel and parietal foramina.
Primary pulmonary hypertension: Primary pulmonary hypertension refers to high blood pressure in the arteries that carry blood to the lungs for no apparent reason. Blood pressure in other parts of the body is normal or sometimes even low.
Proteinuria: Protein in the urine
Pulmonary fibrosis: A scarring condition that affects the lungs
Pulmonary hypertension: Pulmonary hypertension refers to high blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs. Blood pressure in other parts of the body is normal or sometimes even low. The condition may be caused by such things as lung conditions (e.g. emphysema, chronic bronchitis), heart conditions (e.g. congestive heart failure, birth defects involving heart), AIDS or medications such as fenfluramine (a diet drug). Sometimes it occurs for no apparent reason and is called primary pulmonary hypertension.
Raynaud's phenomenon: Blood vessel constriction attacks affecting fingers and/or toes.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome: A condition characterized by pain and reduced range of motion in the shoulder and hand of the affected arm.
Renal hypertension: Renovascular hypertension is high blood pressure resulting from narrowing or damage to kidney blood vessels which prevents the blood from flowing through the kidneys properly.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy: A condition which is characterized by restriction to the function of the walls of the heart
Rheumatic conditions: Any condition that affects ones joints
Sclerodactyly: The localisation of scleroderma on the digits
Scleroderma sine scleroderma: A very rare condition where the organ involvement normally associated with scleroderma is present but there are none of the characteristic skin symptoms. The degree of organ involvement is variable.
Scleroderma, diffuse: A rare autoimmune connective tissue disease where the body attacks parts of the body and causes scarring and thickness of the tissue. In the diffuse form the the disorder, large areas of skin as well as organs are involved. Death can occur.
Scleroderma, linear: A rare autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by the development of bands of hard skin across face or on a single arm or leg. Muscle or bone may also be involved but it rarely affects growth or causes deformity. The condition is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disease where the body attacks parts of the body and causes scarring and thickness of the tissue.
Scleroderma, systemic: A rare autoimmune connective tissue disease where the body attacks parts of the body and causes scarring and thickness of the tissue. In the systemic form, the skin and organs are involved.
Scleromyxedema: A rare connective tissue disorder which causes the skin to become progressively thick and hard. The severity of symptoms is variable with lungs and circulation affected in some patients. The degree of resulting disability, disfigurement and response to treatment is variable.
Skin conditions: Any condition that affects the skin
Skin problems: Any condition that affects the skin
Skin symptoms: Symptoms affecting the skin.
Skin texture changes: Changes to skin texture or consistency.
Skin thickening: Thickening of the skin texture.
Stiff joints: Reduced mobility or movement of the joints
Synovitis: Inflammation of the lining of joints.
Telangiectasia: The permanent dilation of pre-existing small blood vessels
Ventricular arrhythmia: A condition which is characterized by an arrhythmia of the heart beat