Current management strategies for systemic sclerosis

CER7243
2014 Vol.32, N°2 ,Suppl.81
PI 0156, PF 0164
Review

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PMID: 24742450 [PubMed]

Received: 09/01/2014
Accepted : 26/03/2014
In Press: 11/04/2014
Published: 16/04/2014

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis remains a challenging disease despite progress that has taken place in the management of organ-based complications. Overall management strategies need to take into account the features of the disease that are common to almost all patients such as skin involvement, gastro-oesophageal manifestations and secondary Raynaud`s, as well as identify less frequent but critical manifestations that impact on survival including heart, lung, renal and more severe GI involvement. Treatments can be considered to be disease-modifying or symptomatic. In addition, it is important to address more generic problems such as the emotional, psychological and economic impact of a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease. This article reviews general approaches to disease assessment and management and relates this to subset and stage of the condition.