Systemic scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, is the term for the disease that not only includes the skin, but also involves the tissues beneath to the blood vessels and major organs.
Systemic sclerosis is typically broken down into diffuse and limited disease. People with systemic sclerosis often have all or some of the symptoms that some doctors call CREST, which stands for the following:
Limited scleroderma: Limited scleroderma typically comes on gradually and affects the skin only in certain areas: the fingers, hands, face, lower arms, and legs. Many people with limited disease have Raynaud's phenomenon for years before skin thickening starts. Others start out with skin problems over much of the body, which improves over time, leaving only the face and hands with tight, thickened skin. Telangiectasias and calcinosis often follow. Because of the predominance of CREST in people with limited disease, some doctors refer to limited disease as the CREST syndrome.
Diffuse scleroderma: Diffuse scleroderma typically comes on suddenly. Skin thickening occurs quickly and over much of the body, affecting the hands, face, upper arms, upper legs, chest, and stomach in a symmetrical fashion (for example, if one arm or one side of the trunk is affected, the other is also affected). Some people may have more area of their skin affected than others. Internally, it can damage key organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
People with diffuse disease are often tired, lose appetite and weight, and have joint swelling and/or pain. Skin changes can cause the skin to swell, appear shiny, and feel tight and itchy.
The damage of diffuse scleroderma typically occurs over a few years. After the first 3 to 5 years, people with diffuse disease often enter a stable phase lasting for varying lengths of time. During this phase, skin thickness and appearance stay about the same. Damage to internal organs progresses little, if at all. Symptoms also subside: joint pain eases, fatigue lessens, and appetite returns.
Gradually, however, the skin starts to change again. Less collagen is made and the body seems to get rid of the excess collagen. This process, called "softening," tends to occur in reverse order of the thickening process: the last areas thickened are the first to begin softening. Some patients' skin returns to a somewhat normal state, while other patients are left with thin, fragile skin without hair or sweat glands. More serious damage to heart, lungs, or kidneys is unlikely to occur unless previous damage leads to more advanced deterioration.
People with diffuse scleroderma face the most serious long-term outlook if they develop severe kidney, lung, digestive, or heart problems. Fortunately, less than one-third of patients with diffuse disease develop these problems. Early diagnosis and continual and careful monitoring are important.
Sine scleroderma: Some doctors break systemic sclerosis down into a third subset called systemic sclerosis sine (latin for "without") scleroderma. Sine may resemble either limited or diffuse systemic sclerosis, causing changes in the lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels. However, there is one key difference between sine and other forms of systemic sclerosis: it does not affect the skin.
