Patient Education
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Information
- Scleroderma differs from person to person but can be very serious.
- There are medications, as well as steps individuals can take, to ease the symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon, skin problems and heartburn.
- Effective treatments are available for those with severe disease, including acute kidney disease, pulmonary hypertension, lung inflammation and gastrointestinal problems.
- It is important to recognize and treat organ involvement early on to prevent irreversible damage.
- Patients should see physicians with specialized expertise in the care of this complex disease.
Scleroderma is an autoimmune rheumatic disease affecting the skin and other organs of the body, meaning that the body’s immune system is acting abnormally. The main finding in scleroderma is thickening and tightening of the skin and inflammation and scarring of many body parts, leading to problems in the lungs, kidneys, heart, intestinal system and other areas. There is still no cure for scleroderma but effective treatments for some forms of the disease are available.
Scleroderma is relatively rare. About 75,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S. have this disease; most are women between the ages of 30 and 50. Twins and family members of those with scleroderma or other autoimmune connective tissue diseases, such as lupus, may have a slightly higher risk of getting scleroderma. Children can also develop scleroderma, but the disease is different in children than in adults.
Although the underlying cause is unknown, promising research is shedding light on the relationship between the immune system and scleroderma. A great deal of research is also underway to find better treatments for scleroderma and, hopefully, someday a cure.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Information
- Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune condition that can occur at any age, but is most common in older women. Many patients develop Sjögren's syndrome as a complication of another autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Symptoms vary in type and intensity, but many people with Sjögren's are able to live normal lives.
- Most of the treatment for Sjögren's syndrome is aimed at relieving symptoms of dry eyes and mouth and preventing and treating long-term complications such as infection and dental disease. Treatments often do not completely eliminate the symptoms of dryness.
- Most patients with Sjögren's syndrome remain healthy, but some rare complications have been described, including an increased risk for cancer of the lymph glands (lymphoma). Thus, regular medical care and follow up is important for all patients.
Between 400,000 and 3.1 million adults have Sjögren's syndrome. This condition can affect people of any age, but symptoms usually appear between the ages of 45 and 55. It affects 10 times as many women as men. About half of patients also have rheumatoid arthritis or other connective tissue diseases, such as lupus.
In the early 1900s, Swedish physician Henrik Sjögren (SHOW-gren) first described a group of women whose chronic arthritis was accompanied by dry eyes and dry mouth. Today, rheumatologists know more about the syndrome that is named for Sjögren and—most significantly for patients—can offer advice about how to live with it.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Information
- Spinal stenosis is usually the result of osteoarthritis, which can cause a pinching of the spinal cord or nerve roots. Anyone over the age of 50 is at risk.
- Medical history is key to making a diagnosis. The impact of this disease varies widely from patient to patient.
- There is no cure for this disease but there are steps you can take to reduce pain and improve your flexibility (your ability to bend and move about).
- Exercise is very important in the treatment of this disease. Exercising regularly to keep muscles strong and improve flexibility boosts strength, reduces pain and improves general well-being.
- Your choice of treatment depends on how severely spinal stenosis affects your quality of life.
Spinal stenosis (or narrowing) is a common condition that occurs when the small spinal canal, which contains the nerve roots and spinal cord, becomes compressed. This causes a “pinching” of the spinal cord and/or nerve roots, which leads to pain, cramping, weakness or numbness. Depending on where the narrowing takes place, you may feel these symptoms in the lower back and legs, neck, shoulder or arms.
Usually, the narrowing is caused by osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, of the spinal column and discs between the vertebrae (the bones of the back). It may also be caused by a thickening of the ligaments in the back, as well as by a bulging of the discs that separate the vertebrae. Symptoms of spinal stenosis often start slowly and get worse over time. Pain in the legs may become so severe that walking even short distances is unbearable. Frequently, sufferers must sit or lean forward over a grocery cart, countertop or walker to temporarily ease pain.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Information
- Spondyloarthritis is a type of arthritis that attacks the spine and, in some people, the joints of the arms and legs. It can also involve the skin, intestines and eyes. The main symptom (what you feel) in most patients is low back pain. This occurs most often in axial spondyloarthritis.
- In a minority of patients, the major symptom is pain and swelling in the arms and legs. This type is known as peripheral spondyloarthritis.
- People in their teens and 20s, particularly males, are affected most often. Family members of those with spondyloarthritis are at higher risk.
- Many people with axial spondyloarthritis progress to having some degree of spinal fusion, known as ankylosing spondylitis. This more often strikes young males.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (commonly called NSAIDs) offer symptom relief for most patients by reducing pain and swelling. Other medicines called anti-TNF drugs or TNF blockers are effective in patients who do not respond enough to NSAIDs.
- Newer treatments have helped a great deal in controlling symptoms, and frequent fitness activities and back exercises are helpful.
Spondyloarthritis (or spondyloarthropathy) is the name for a family of inflammatory rheumatic diseases that cause arthritis. It differs from other types of arthritis, because it involves the sites are where ligaments and tendons attach to bones called “entheses.” Symptoms present in two main ways. The first is inflammation causing pain and stiffness, most often of the spine. Some forms can affect the hands and feet or arms and legs. The second type is bone destruction causing deformities of the spine and poor function of the shoulders and hips.
The most common is ankylosing spondylitis, which affects mainly the spine. Others include:
- axial spondyloarthritis, which affects mainly the spine and pelvic joints;
- peripheral spondyloarthritis, affecting mostly the arms and legs;
- reactive arthritis (formerly known as Reiter's syndrome);
- psoriatic arthritis; and
- enteropathic arthritis/spondylitis associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease).
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Information
- Lupus is a chronic disease, with flares and remissions.
- Lupus is not contagious and it cannot be prevented.
- Lupus can affect many different areas of the body.
- Treatment is different for each child; each child is unique, as is each treatment plan.
- Lupus and several medications used for lupus suppress the immune system. Work with your rheumatology team to learn about lupus and find the best treatment plan to control it.
- Becoming more involved in your care will help as you grow with this illness to make choices and transition into adulthood.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a disease in which the immune system is overactive and does not function properly. The immune system attacks the body and creates inflammation in the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, nervous system, and other organs of the body. People with lupus can have times of very active disease, called a flare, and times where the disease is mostly quiet, called remission.
About 20 percent of people with lupus developed the disease before 20 years of age. It is rare to get lupus before age 5 years. Lupus is more common in females and in certain ethnic groups, including African-American, Hispanic, South and Southeast Asian and North American First Nations populations.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
