Scleroderma

Introduction: Scleroderma

Scleroderma: Derived from the Greek words "sklerosis," meaning hardness, and "derma," meaning skin, scleroderma literally means hard skin. Though ... more about Scleroderma.

Scleroderma: A rare, progressive connective tissue disorder involving thickening and hardening of the skin and connective tissue. There are a number of forms of scleroderma with some forms being systemic (involving internal organs). More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Scleroderma is available below.

Symptoms of Scleroderma

• Skin symptoms
  • Skin thickening
  • Stiff skin
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Shiny skin

See full list of 76 symptoms of Scleroderma

Medical Textbooks Online about Scleroderma

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Scleroderma

• Skin biopsy
• Symptomatic and supportive treatments

Read more about tests for Scleroderma

Wrongly Diagnosed with Scleroderma?

• Misdiagnosis of Scleroderma
• Failure to diagnose Scleroderma
• Underlying causes of Scleroderma (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Scleroderma

Causes of Scleroderma

Read more about causes of Scleroderma.

More information about causes of Scleroderma:

• Scleroderma as a complication caused by other conditions
• Scleroderma as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Scleroderma

Treatments for Scleroderma

• See also treatment of Raynaud's disease
• Treatments for various symptoms of scleroderma
• Treatments for various complications of scleroderma

Read more about treatments for Scleroderma

Videos for Scleroderma

Patient Surveys for Scleroderma

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Scleroderma
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Prognosis for Scleroderma

Prognosis for Scleroderma: For some people, scleroderma (particularly the localized forms) is fairly mild and resolves with time. But for others, living with the disease and its effects day to day has a significant impact on their quality of life. (Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Scleroderma: NIAMS) ... No cure exists, but timely intervention can improve the quality of life. (Source: excerpt from Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC)

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Reseach about Scleroderma

Visit our research pages for current research about Scleroderma treatments.

Statistics for Scleroderma

• Medical statistics for Scleroderma
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Scleroderma
• Death and Mortality statistics for Scleroderma
• Society statistics for Scleroderma

Types of Scleroderma

• Localized Scleroderma
  • Morphea
  • Linear scleroderma - only a single line marking on the skin.
• Systemic Scleroderma (Systemic Sclerosis)
  • Limited scleroderma

See full list of 7 Types of Scleroderma

Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Scleroderma

• Medifocus Guidebook for Scleroderma
• Icon Health Sourcebook for Scleroderma

See all guides and ebooks for Scleroderma

Stories from Users Related to Scleroderma

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User Interactive Forums

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Article Excerpts about Scleroderma

Handout on Health Scleroderma: NIAMS (Excerpt)

Derived from the Greek words "sklerosis," meaning hardness, and "derma," meaning skin, scleroderma literally means hard skin. Though it is often referred to as if it were a single disease, scleroderma is really a symptom of a group of diseases that involve the abnormal growth of connective tissue, which supports the skin and internal organs. It is sometimes used, therefore, as an umbrella term for these disorders. In some forms of scleroderma, hard, tight skin is the extent of this abnormal process. In other forms, however, the problem goes much deeper, affecting blood vessels and internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.

Scleroderma is called both a rheumatic (roo-MA-tik) disease and a connective tissue disease. The term rheumatic disease refers to a group of conditions characterized by inflammation and/or pain in the muscles, joints, or fibrous tissue. A connective tissue disease is one that affects the major substances in the skin, tendons, and bones. (Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Scleroderma: NIAMS)

Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Scleroderma is an activation of immune cells which produces scar tissue in the skin, internal organs, and small blood vessels. It affects women three times more often than men overall, but increases to a rate 15 times greater for women during childbearing years, and appears to be more common among black women. (Source: excerpt from Connective Tissue Diseases: NWHIC)

Wiki article about Scleroderma

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Definitions of Scleroderma:

Systemic disorder of the connective tissue; manifested by hardening and thickening of the skin, by abnormalities involving the microvasculature and larger vessels, and by fibrotic degenerative changes in various body organs including the heart, lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. - (Source - Diseases Database)

An autoimmune disease that affects the blood vessels and connective tissue; fibrous connective tissue is deposited in the skin - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Scleroderma as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet