| Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 1,513,820,308 visitors served. |
|
Dictionary/ thesaurus | Medical dictionary | Legal dictionary | Financial dictionary | Acronyms | Idioms | Encyclopedia | Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
scleroderma |
Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.12 sec. |
sclerodermaor progressive systemic sclerosisChronic disease that hardens the skin and fixes it to underlying structures. Swelling and collagen buildup lead to loss of elasticity. The cause is unknown. It usually begins at age 25–55, more often in women, with severe inflammation of underlying tissue and stiffness, pain, and skin tautness and thickening. Systemic problems that may arise years later include fever, trouble in breathing, fibrous tissue in the lungs, inflammation of heart muscle or membranes, gastrointestinal disorders, and kidney malfunction. Calcium deposits build up under the skin. The disease may finally stabilize or gradually regress. Steroids may help, and physical medicine and rehabilitation with heat, massage, and passive exercise (movement of the limbs by the therapist) help prevent limb fixation and deformity. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
|
| ? Mentioned in | ? References in periodicals archive | |
|---|---|---|
Specifically, estrogen has been linked with the risk of developing systemic lupus, scleroderma, and Raynaud disease (Mayes 1999); solvents linked with systemic sclerosis and scleroderma (Mayes 1999); mercuric chloride linked with immune complex glomerulonephritis (Mayes 1999; Powell et al. Included among the many disorders that the group defined as connective-tissue disease were various forms of arthritis (including rheumatoid), vasculitis, systemic sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus -- several of which have been linked previously to silicone breast implants (SN: 12/12/92, p. Systemic scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, causes damage to two main areas: small blood vessels and collagen-producing cells in the skin and throughout the body. |
| Encyclopedia |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Browser extension |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup | Partner with us |
|---|