Dermatology Search
Dermatology Dermatology
scleroderma
SCLERODERMA
Treatment Guideline Chart
Scleroderma is a connective tissue disorder characterized by skin thickening and fibrosis. It is rare, autoimmune and chronic.
It has an idiopathic cause and not contagious.
Early microvascular damage, mononuclear cell infiltrates and slowly developing fibrosis are the important features of the tissue lesions.
The leading causes of death are pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension and primary cardiac damage.

Scleroderma Management

Follow Up

  • Frequency of follow-up and additional tests should be based on the disease’s initial severity, activity and duration, type of visceral damage, and/or presence of intercurrent events 
  • Patients with limited cutaneous disease without visceral damage may be followed up every 6 months
    • Patients with localized scleroderma with deep tissue lesions should have an annual monitoring even after treatment cessation as the disease may relapse
  • Patients with diffuse cutaneous forms may be followed up every 3 months for the 1st 3 years of disease progression then less frequently afterwards 
  • More frequent follow-ups are needed when patient’s symptoms change or worsen
  • Re-evaluation of symptomatic treatment every 4-6 months should be done to prevent complications or further deterioration
  • Prognosis is better with localized scleroderma than with systemic scleroderma
Editor's Recommendations
Special Reports
MORE Special Reports arrow