![]() Occupational exposure to silica dust (not silicone) has been linked to a scleroderma-like disease, particularly in men. Learning how and why these antibodies form will lead to better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie this disorder.Īlthough scleroderma can run in families, in most cases it occurs in people who do not have a close relative with the disease. Researchers have discovered autoantibodies in scleroderma patients that are not seen in other autoimmune diseases. These facts reinforce the notion that there are chromosomal factors at work. Additionally, African-American women seem to be more seriously affected when they get the disease. Though scleroderma affects members of all ethnic groups, researchers have found a high prevalence of the disease in Oklahoma Choctaw Native Americans. And some research shows that certain environmental factors or combinations of factors-exposure to certain chemicals, for example-may play a role in triggering the disease. It appears likely that some people are genetically predisposed to scleroderma. What causes scleroderma is unknown, but some early stage research suggests the involvement of both environmental and genetic factors. ![]() In some organs, the inflammation of blood vessels causes blockage of blood to the areas.Īccording to the Scleroderma Foundation, an estimated 300,000 people in the United States have the disease in one of its forms. This stiffening can seriously harm the circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems. Scleroderma literally means "hard skin," but the disease is most serious when it affects internal organs, hardening the tissues of the lungs, heart, kidneys, intestinal tract, muscles and joints. Collagen is normally responsible for keeping your skin and organs supple, but when it is overproduced, it makes tissue thick and immobile. The disease is caused by inflammation of small veins and arteries leading to overproduction of collagen in your body's connective tissue. It can cause hardening and thickening of the skin and attack the heart, lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Women are three to four times more likely than men to be afflicted with scleroderma, a chronic, autoimmune disease that most often strikes women during middle age. Scleroderma is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can cause hardening and thickening of the skin and attack the heart, lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.
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