Is scleroderma serious?

When it comes to scleroderma, many patients feel very troubled. This is mainly because the cause of the disease has not been clearly determined so far. The occurrence of the disease may be related to various factors such as genetics and environment, which also makes the disease difficult to treat. It is precisely because of this that many patients believe that scleroderma is a more serious disease. Is this really the case? Is scleroderma serious?

Scleroderma is now called systemic sclerosis. As the name suggests, it is a disease in which the skin becomes hardened. Skin changes are the hallmark symptom of systemic sclerosis. However, the severity of the lesions varies greatly. In mild cases, there is only local skin hardening and calcification, while in severe cases, there may be widespread skin hardening and thickening throughout the body. Typical skin lesions go through three stages: swelling, infiltration and atrophy. The lesions are symmetrical, and the lesions gradually extend proximally from the fingers. The boundary between the lesion skin and the normal skin is unclear.

Scleroderma is now called systemic sclerosis. Clinically, it is a connective tissue disease characterized by localized or diffuse skin thickening and fibrosis, and involving internal organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and digestive tract.

According to the degree of skin invasion, scleroderma can be divided into several subtypes: ① Patients with localized scleroderma only have thickening of the skin on the distal limbs, and the trunk is not invaded. CREST syndrome includes: calcium deposition, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysfunction, digital sclerosis and telangiectasia, and belongs to the category of localized scleroderma. ② Patients with diffuse scleroderma show thickening of the skin on the distal and proximal limbs and/or trunk.

The natural course of scleroderma varies greatly. Many patients develop progressive sclerosis and flexion contractures of their fingers, causing disability, and almost all patients eventually have visceral involvement. If the kidneys, heart, and lungs are affected in the early stages of the disease, the prognosis is poor. Pulmonary hypertension and intestinal malabsorption are common causes of death in patients with localized scleroderma.

From the above content, you should understand the question of whether scleroderma is serious. Scleroderma patients must pay attention to keeping themselves warm and avoid getting the affected part cold, which will only aggravate the symptoms of scleroderma. When scleroderma becomes infected, you must pay attention to active treatment. If necessary, antibiotics should be used for treatment to avoid worsening of symptoms.