Also known as
progressive systemic sclerosis. A rare disease that produces
hardening of the skin,
which becomes smooth, shiny, and tight. The skin of the face may
shrink so much that it becomes difficult to open the mouth widely;
movement of the fingers is hampered and they may develop contractures. The
condition is very similar to the toxic oil syndrome, which affected 20,000
people in Madrid in 1981.
The skin
manifestations are part of a general systemic disturbance that affects the connective
tissue of the joints, intestine, lungs, and kidneys, and may affect the heart. The cause of the disease is not
known with certainty, but it is thought to be an immunological disorder.
Scleroderma affects four
times as many women as men, and usually
occurs in women in
their 40s and 50s.
Persons with a mild form of the disease have a slow progression of symptoms and a more favorable prognosis. Those with a more severe case will have widespread
disease with internal involvement of the heart, lungs, and kidneys, which can
cause death.
There is no known cure for this disease, but
steroids may bring some relief.