| Scleroderma also known as systemic
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| | Scleroderma affects approximately 300,000
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| sclerosis. Scleroderma is an autoimmune,
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| | people in the United States. Scleroderma
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| connective tissue disease. Scleroderma
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| | affecting the esophagus leads to
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| causes inflammation and thickening of the
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| | heartburn. This is directly a result of
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| skin. Genes may play in leading to the
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| | stomach acid backflowing up into the
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| development of scleroderma. Scleroderma
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| | esophagus. Sometimes this can lead to
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| is a diffuse connective tissue disease
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| | scarring of the esophagus with difficulty
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| characterized by changes in the skin,
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| | swallowing and/or localized pain in the
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| blood vessels, skeletal muscles, and
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| | central chest. It is four times as
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| internal organs. A connective tissue
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| | common in women than in men. Incidence
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| disease is one that affects tissues such
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| | rates are estimated at 2-20 per million
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| as skin, tendons, and cartilage. In some
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| | per year in the United States.
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| cases, scleroderma also affects the blood
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| | Scleroderma affecting the large bowel
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| vessels and internal organs. Scleroderma
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| | (colon) most often causes constipation,
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| is one of a group of arthritic conditions
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| | but can also lead to cramping and
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| called connective tissue disorders. In
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| | diarrhea. When this is severe, it
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| these disorders, a person's antibodies
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| | complete stool blockage (fecal impaction)
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| are directed against his or her own
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| | can result. Inflammation of the lungs in
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| tissues. Scleroderma can be classified in
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| | scleroderma can cause scarring, resulting
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| terms of the degree and location of the
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| | in shortness of breath, especially with
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| skin involvement. Accordingly,
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| | physical exertion. Elevated pressure in
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| scleroderma has been categorized into two
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| | the arteries to the lungs (pulmonary
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| major groups, diffuse and limited.
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| | hypertension) can also cause shortness of
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| Diffuse form of scleroderma is involves
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| | breath and difficulty getting an adequate
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| symmetric thickening of skin of the
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| | breath with activity. Elevated blood
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| extremities, face, trunk (chest, back,
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| | pressure is potentially serious and can
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| abdomen, or flanks) which can rapidly
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| | lead to kidney damage. Symptoms include
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| progress to hardening after an early
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| | headache, fatigue, and in severe cases,
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| inflammatory phase.Organ disease can
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| | stroke.
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| occur early on and be serious. Organs
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| | Scleroderma can affect many different
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| affected include the esophagus, bowels,
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| | organs and organ systems. Exposure to
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| lungs with scarring (fibrosis), heart,
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| | industrial solvents or an environmental
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| and kidneys.
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| | agent may play a role in predisposing to
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| Limited scleroderma typically has gradual
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| | scleroderma. Medications that help with
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| onset and is restricted to certain areas
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| | blood circulation such as,
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| of the skin. Raynaud's phenomenon is due
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| | angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
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| to vasoconstriction of the small arteries
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| | inhibitors and low-dose enteric-coated
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| of exposed peripheries - particularly the
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| | aspirin. Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
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| hands and feet - in the cold. The skin
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| | drug has relatively few side effects, and
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| changes and other features of disease
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| | it's also effective for the arthritis
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| tend to occur more slowly than in the
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| | that can be associated with scleroderma.
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| diffuse form. Because a characteristic
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| | Apart from hydroxychloroquine's apparent
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| clinical pattern can occur in patients
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| | ability to affect the way immune cells
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| with the limited form of scleroderma,
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| | work, scientists don't completely
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| this form has taken another name which is
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| | understand how it helps tame the disease
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| composed of the first initials of the
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| | process. Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) is
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| common components. Telangiectasia a
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| | sometimes used to treat pulmonary
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| condition caused by the swelling of tiny
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| | fibrosis. People with scleroderma-related
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| blood vessels, in which small red spots
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| | lung disease found cyclophosphamide
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| appear on the hands and face. While not
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| | modestly improved lung function and
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| painful, these red spots can create
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| | quality of life. Bosentan (Tracleer) is
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| cosmetic problems. Genetic predisposition
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| | an oral medication that has been approved
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| appears to be limited: genetic
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| | for pulmonary hypertension in people with
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| concordance is small; still, there often
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| | scleroderma. Esophagus irritation and
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| is a familial predisposition for
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| | heartburn can be relieved with omeprazole
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| autoimmune disease. Polymorphisms in
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| | (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), or
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| COL1A and TGF-ß1 may influence severity
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| | lansoprazole (Prevacid). Antacids can
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| and development of the disease. There is
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| | also be helpful. Elevating the head of
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| limited evidence implicating
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| | the bed can reduce backflow of acid into
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| cytomegalovirus (CMV) as the original
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| | the esophagus that causes inflammation
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| epitope of the immune reaction, and
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| | and heartburn. Avoiding caffeine and
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| organic solvents and other chemical
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| | cigarette smoking also helps.
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| agents have been linked with scleroderma.
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