What are the treatments for scleroderma?

Scleroderma is a common connective tissue disease in clinical practice. The disease mainly affects female patients, especially women of childbearing age. Scleroderma has a great impact on the human body, and the treatment of scleroderma mainly focuses on strengthening nutrition and also paying attention to removing infected lesions.

1. General treatment

Remove infected lesions, strengthen nutrition, keep warm and avoid intense mental stimulation.

(II) Vasoactive agents

It is mainly used to dilate blood vessels, reduce blood viscosity and improve microcirculation.

1. Danshen injection

Each milliliter is equivalent to 2g of the original drug. Add 8-16ml into 500ml of low-molecular-weight dextran and drip intravenously once a day. Ten times constitute a course of treatment. It can be used continuously or intermittently. It has certain effects on skin sclerosis, difficulty opening the mouth and swallowing, pigmentation, joint stiffness and pain, and Raynaud's phenomenon, but it is not suitable for people with bleeding tendency or poor renal function.

2. Guanethidine: The initial dose is 12.5 mg/d, gradually increased to 25 mg/d, and changed to 37.5 mg/d after 3 weeks. Effective for Raynaud's phenomenon (effectiveness is about 50%).

3. Methyldopa

125 mg, 3 times a day (or 1-2 g/d). Can suppress Raynaud's phenomenon.

(III) Connective tissue formation inhibitors

1. Penicillamine

2. Colchicine

3. Centella asiatica

(IV) Anti-inflammatory agents

Glucocorticoids are effective for early symptoms of systemic sclerosis, such as inflammation, edema, and joints. Generally, prednisone 30 mg/d is used orally first, and then gradually reduced to a maintenance dose of 5-10 mg/d. Avoid use if proteinuria, hypertension or azotemia is present.

(V) Immunosuppressants

Drugs such as azathioprine (75-150 mg/d), chlorambucil (6 mg/d), and cyclophosphamide (50-200 mg/d) can be used, and have certain therapeutic effects on joint, skin, and kidney lesions. Combined use with glucocorticoids can often improve efficacy and reduce the dosage of corticosteroids.

6. Physical therapy

It includes audio electrotherapy, massage and hot bath, among which audio electrotherapy has a better effect on this disease. The localized type can make it completely recover, and the systemic type also has the effect of softening the skin, improving tissue nutrition and healing ulcers. Initially, the treatment is given 1 to 2 times a day, each time lasting 20 to 30 minutes. After the condition improves, the treatment can be repeated every other day. The treatment time is longer.

(VII) Others

For example, blockade therapy, vitamin E, compound phosphatase tablets, and testosterone propionate can be used as appropriate.