Scleroderma

Sirius Paez
➢ Scleroderma affects the skin and
internal organs.
➢ It is characterized by the buildup
of scar tissue in skin and other
General
organs.
➢ Fibrosis (the buildup) is caused
by the body making too much
Information
collagen.
○ Collagen normally strengthens skin.
➢ Effects are puffy and swollen
hands before the skin hardens,
and impairment of internal
organs.
Pictures
➢ Commonly affected organs are:
○
○
Skin
Esophagus
Commonly
○
○
Heart
Lungs Affected
Organs & Types
○ Kidneys
➢ Types of Scleroderma:
○ Localized: Often affecting only skin
and not major organs. There are
three types of localized scleroderma
being localized, generalized, and
linear.
○ Systemic: Affects skin, the tissues
under it including blood vessels, and
major organs.
➢ Constructs vascular system How it affects
causing inflammation
➢ Scars lung tissue increasing organs
shortness of breath
➢ Trouble swallowing
➢ Digestive problems
➢ Hippocrates was the first to describe an
illness resulting in thick skin.

History
➢ Symptoms of scleroderma were first
described by Carlo Curzio in 1753.
○ Described wood-like & hard skin, tight skin,
tight area around the mouth, and hardness
on the neck.
➢ The term “Scleroderma” was made in
1836 by Giovambattista Fantonetti.
➢ The first recorded case of Scleroderma
in the US was recorded in 1869 by
Abraham B. Arnold when an man
developed a cough followed by skin
hardening on his hands and feet..
➢ Raynaud Phenomenon (Cold
Signs,
temperatures and strong
emotions cause blood vessel Symptoms,
& Diagnosis
spasms).
➢ Abnormality of the gastric
mucosa.
➢ Arthritis
➢ Atypical scarring of skin
➢ Autoimmunity
➢ Diagnosed through clinical
genetic testing.
➢ Very old treatments were limited
to warm milk, vapor baths, &
being bled from the feed.
➢ Nintedanib (Medication)
Treatment &
○ Slows the rate of decline in
pulmonary function in patients with
systemic sclerosis associated
Management
interstitial lung disease.
➢ Easing skin itchiness with lotions
and moisturizers.
➢ Maintain muscle strength with
physical therapy.
➢ It affects women more than men.
➢

Extra
The word comes from two Greek
words: “sclero” (hard) & “derma”
(skin).
➢ About 300,00 Americans are
diagnosed with scleroderma.
➢ There is no know cause for
scleroderma.
➢ National Scleroderma
Foundation
➢ Scleroderma Research
Foundations
Foundation
➢ Scleroderma and Raynaudʼs UK
 Review
Questions
➢ What is a commonly affected
organ of scleroderma?
➢ Who was the first to describe an
illness resulting in thick skin?
➢ How is it diagnosed?
➢

➢
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/97
48/systemic-scleroderma
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/s
ystemic-scleroderma/#:~:text=Systemic%20s
Works
Cited
cleroderma%20is%20an%20autoimmune,bod
y's%20own%20tissues%20and%20organs.
➢ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/condi
tions-and-diseases/scleroderma/scleroderma-tr
eatment
➢ https://curearthritis.org/developing-a-thick-skin
-the-history-of-scleroderma/#:~:text=The%20ter
m%2C%20scleroderma%20was%20coined,(hem
lock)%20softened%20her%20skin.
➢ https://www.thoracic.org/patients/lung-disease-
week/2014/scleroderma/general-info.php