Treatment:

There is no specific treatment for scleroderma.

Your doctor will prescribe medicines and other treatments to control your symptoms and prevent complications.

Medicines used to treat scleroderma include:

• Power anti-inflammatory medicines called corticosteroids
• Immune-suppressing medications such as methotrexate and Cytoxan
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Other treatments for specific symptoms may include:

• Medicines for heartburn or swallowing problems
• Blood pressure medications (particularly ACE inhibitors) for high blood pressure or kidney problems
• Light therapy to relieve skin thickening
• Medicines to improve breathing
• Medications to treat Raynaud's phenomenon

Treatment usually also involves physical therapy.

Support Groups:

See: Scleroderma - resources

Expectations (prognosis):

Some people with scleroderma have symptoms that develop quickly over the first few years and continue to get worse. However, in most patients, the disease slowly gets worse.

People who only have skin symptoms have a better outlook. Widespread (systemic) scleroderma can damage the heart, kidney, lungs, or GI tract, which may cause death.

Lung problems are the most common cause of death in patients with scleroderma.

Complications:

The most common cause of death in people with scleroderma is scarring of the lungs, called pulmonary fibrosis.

Other complications of scleroderma include:

• Cancer
• Heart failure
• High blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)
• Kidney failure
• Problems absorbing nutrients from food (malabsorption)

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:

• You have symptoms of scleroderma
• You have scleroderma and symptoms become worse or new symptoms develop