Without doubt, animal models have provided significant insights into our understanding of the rheumatological diseases; however, no model has accurately replicated all aspects of any autoimmune disease. Recent years have seen a plethora of knockouts and transgenics that have contributed to our knowledge of the initiating events of systemic sclerosis, an autoimmune disease. In this review, the f...

Systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma is a rare form of limited systemic sclerosis. These patients are without skin involvement, but do not differ in its clinical or laboratory features and prognosis from classical systemic sclerosis. In the absence of cutaneous signs/symptoms, its diagnosis is delayed leading to significant morbidity and mortality. We report a case of sixty year old female who p...

Several occupational hazards, especially exposure to silica, have been implicated as causal factors for the development of scleroderma-like disorders. Compared to other connective tissue disorders, silica-associated systemic sclerosis (SA-SS) is relatively rare. Silica-induced scleroderma is indistinguishable from idiopathic systemic sclerosis. However, the former expresses a high predispositio...

As a measure of enterocyte function, the deconjugation of pteroyl-L-glutamyl-y-Lglutamyl-y-L-glutamic acid to folic acid and subsequent active absorption was measured in 19 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis and compared with 14 controls. The absorption step of folic acid was identical in the two groups, while deconjugation of pteroyl-L-glutamyl-y-L-glutamyly-L-glutamic acid was signi...

OBJECTIVE To determine the presence of antiubiquitin antibody (AUbA) in localised scleroderma and systemic sclerosis, as it is frequently found in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and has also been shown to have a close relationship with antihistone antibodies that have an important role in scleroderma. METHODS Serum samples from patients with localised scleroderma...

Systemic sclerosis is a disease which usually progresses or reaches a plateau with persistence of symptoms and signs. Regression is extremely unusual. Four cases of established scleroderma are described in which regression is well documented. The significance of this observation and possible mechanisms of disease regression are discussed.

Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is one of the most complex systemic autoimmune diseases. It targets the vasculature, connective tissue-producing cells (namely fibroblasts/myofibroblasts), and components of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Clinical and pathologic manifestations of SSc are the result of: (1) innate/adaptive immune system abnormalities leading to production of autoantibodies and...

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multiorgan connective tissue disease characterized by autoantibody production and fibroproliferative stenosis of the microvasculature. The vascoluopathy associated with SSc is considered to be noninflammatory, yet frank vasculitis can complicate SSc, posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Here, we have reviewed the literature for reports of small-, medium-, ...

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem connective tissue disease characterised phenotypically by fibrosis and ischaemic atrophy. Its aetiology is most likely multifactorial. A genetic predisposition to the condition is suggested by reports of familial SSc (a positive family history is the strongest risk factor yet identified), by animal models, and by disease-association studies, in which re...