Patient acceptable symptom state in scleroderma: results from the tocilizumab compared with placebo trial in active diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis

Severe organ involvement in systemic sclerosis with diffuse scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE To determine the natural history and timing of severe involvement of the kidney, heart, lung, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and skin in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and diffuse cutaneous involvement. METHODS This study used the Pittsburgh Scleroderma Databank and included patients with diffuse scleroderma who were seen between January 1, 1972 and December 31, 1995. Patients...

Treatment outcome in early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: the European Scleroderma Observational Study (ESOS)

OBJECTIVES The rarity of early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) makes randomised controlled trials very difficult. We aimed to use an observational approach to compare effectiveness of currently used treatment approaches. METHODS This was a prospective, observational cohort study of early dcSSc (within three years of onset of skin thickening). Clinicians selected one of four proto...

Anaemia in a Patient with Diffuse Systemic Scleroderma

We hereby present a case of anaemia in a 73 years old patient with known past medical history of diffuse systemic scleroderma, who presented with acute onset of dizziness and haemetemesis. Blood tests revealed sudden drop of haemoglobin and an urgent gastroscopy revealed gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) or “watermelon stomach”. GAVE is a rare but well recognised cause of acute bleeding in...

Bullous pemphigoid in a patient with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

Bullous Pemphigoid in a Patient with Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma)