Methods Twenty pregnant women with ssc and twenty agematched low risk pregnant women were recruited in this study. Patients were evaluated clinically and laboratory at the entry of the study and at monthly intervals. Different pregnancy outcome measures were studied. Impacts of pregnancy on scleroderma patients were determined during and after pregnancy. The possible associated risk factors wer...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of systemic sclerosis (SSc) using population-based administrative data, and to assess the sensitivity of case ascertainment approaches. METHODS We ascertained SSc cases from Quebec physician billing and hospitalization databases (covering approximately 7.5 million individuals). Three case definition algorithms were compared, and statistical methods account...

The case is described of a patient with scleromyxoedema with features typical of systemic sclerosis. The features were so characteristic that the disease was misdiagnosed as systemic sclerosis. A brief review of the association of the two diseases is given.

In response to Dr. Homasson, my comments are as follows: 1) Mv paper is about a personal experience with laser bronchoscopy Ofll\ 2) In the introductii)n, I mentioned a statenient by Dr. Shapshav drawn from reference 1 of my paper. 3) I have flO personal experience with that technique and therefore I am unable to judge Dr. Honiasson’s letter. I think Dr. Shapshay or Dr. Sanderson, who initiated...

INTRODUCTION Systemic sclerosis or scleroderma is an autoimmune rheumatic disease characterized by organ-based fibrosis. Renal involvement in scleroderma occurs mainly in the form of scleroderma renal crisis, affecting 5 to 10% of patients. It remains one of the most important and immediately life-threatening complications of scleroderma, but the prognosis improves considerably after treatment ...