Fw: SCLERODERMA: A chronic degenerative disorder

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----- Original Message -----

From: " Kathi " <pureheart@...>

Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 7:48 PM

Subject: SCLERODERMA: A chronic degenerative disorder

> SCLERODERMA: A chronic degenerative disorder

>

> As fate would have it, actor Bob Saget (former star of Full House and

> current star of Raising Dad) had volunteered his support to the

> Scleroderma

> Research Foundation a mere two years before his own sister, Gay, was

> diagnosed with the disease.

>

> Two years later, she died from the disease. Gay was one of approximately

>

> 300,000 Americans who have scleroderma, of which 80 percent are women of

>

> childbearing age.

>

> If you broke down the word, scleroderma, by its roots and analyzed its

> Greek

> beginnings, you would find that scleroderma literally means hard skin.

> Scleroderma is a chronic, degenerative disorder that leads to blood

> vessel

> deterioration, tissue loss and the overproduction of collagen in the

> skin.

> Patients with scleroderma often have a taut, leathery appearance due to

> the

> overproduction of collagen.

>

> In reality, scleroderma is a symptom of a group of diseases. It is an

> umbrella term for a group of diseases that involve the abnormal growth

> of

> connective tissue, which supports the skin and internal organs. In some

> forms of scleroderma, hard, tight skin is the extent of this disease,

> but in

> other cases, the problem affects organs such as the heart, lungs and

> kidneys.

>

> Approximately half of those with scleroderma will develop a limited

> version

> that is confined only to the skin, while the remaining patients will

> develop

> systemic scleroderma, a life-threatening version that affects the

> internal

> organs.

>

> Scleroderma, like the other diseases profiled in this issue of Blue &

> You,

> is autoimmune, and its cause remains unknown. Some scientists believe

> that

> genetic and environmental factors may be involved. Scleroderma's pain is

>

> manageable, but there is no cure.

>

> Symptoms of scleroderma include: tightening, swelling or thickening of

> the

> skin; arthritis; weight loss; muscle, bone or joint pain; stiffness in

> the

> hands or feet; skin discoloration; shortness of breath; hair loss;

> diffi-culty in swallowing; heartburn and/or digestive problems;

> calcinosis

> (white lumps under the skin that can erupt into chalky white fluid); and

>

> Raynaud's phenomenon (pain in hands or feet in response to hot and

> cold).

>

> Diagnosis is difficult as the symptoms of scleroderma are similar to

> other

> diseases, and there is no standard test for the disease.

>

> Because scleroderma can affect many different organs, a person with

> scleroderma may need to see several different physicians. Currently,

> there

> is no treatment to prevent the underlying condition - the overproduction

> of

> collagen. The treatment and disease management will focus on relieving

> symptoms and limiting damage.

>

> The good news concerning scleroderma is that scientists, doctors and

> others

> continue to look for new ways to diagnose scleroderma earlier and manage

> the

> disease better. The impact is that those with scleroderma do much better

> and

> remain active far longer than they did 20 or 30 years ago

>

> - Sources: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin

> Diseases Information Clearinghouse; American College of Rheumatology;

> and

> USA Today.

>

>

>

>

>

>