Treatment of systemic sclerosis

Presse Med. 2021 Apr;50(1):104088. doi: 10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104088. Epub 2021 Oct 28.

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease characterized by skin and visceral fibrosis, vascular hyperreactivity and obliterative vasculopathy. Some of its complications such as interstitial lung disease (ILD), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and heart involvement can be life-threatening and are associated with a high mortality and a poor prognosis. Many clinical trials were carried out in order to improve the survival and prognosis of SSc patients. The management of SSc is based on the frequent and regular assessment of the potential organ damage, and if present, the establishment of graduated pharmacological therapeutic strategies, associated with non-pharmacological procedures. Several randomized clinical trials have showed significant positive outcomes regarding some specific involvements. Many advances have been made, especially in the field of targeted therapies and personalized medicine, based on specific characteristics of the patient and the SSc.

Keywords: Immunosuppressants; Systemic sclerosis; Targeted therapy; Treatments.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Heart Diseases / etiology
  • Heart Diseases / mortality
  • Heart Diseases / therapy
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / etiology
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / mortality
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / therapy
  • Precision Medicine
  • Prognosis
  • Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension / etiology
  • Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension / mortality
  • Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension / therapy
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / complications
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / mortality
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / therapy*
  • Vascular Diseases / etiology
  • Vascular Diseases / mortality
  • Vascular Diseases / therapy

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents