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Vascular Disease in Systemic Sclerosis

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by widespread fibrosis affecting the skin, internal organs, and vasculature. Vascular disease with intimal proliferation and obliterative vasculopathy is extremely prevalent in SSc, most commonly manifesting as Raynaud's phenomenon and digital ulcerations. Other manifestations of vascular disease occur less frequently in patients with SSc, including ischemic digital loss, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and renal crisis. Vascular disease in SSc may also commonly affect pregnancy outcomes and sexual function. Finally, patients with SSc can rarely suffer from inflammatory vasculitis, and recognition of this has a significant impact on therapy. In this special issue on vascular disease in systemic sclerosis, we invited original research articles and review articles regarding the pathogenesis, epidemiology, natural history, evaluation, and/or management of vascular complications in patients with SSc.

Source: International Journal of Rheumatology

DOI: 10.1155/2010/714172

Authors: Lorinda Chung, Oliver Distler, Laura Hummers, Eswar Krishnan, Virginia Steen