Hypoventilatory respiratory failure in generalised scleroderma.
A patient with generalised cutaneous and gastrointestinal scleroderma subsequently died from respiratory failure secondary to hyperventilation. At necropsy changes consistent with scleroderma of the diaphragm were found; these were thought to have contributed appreciably to the terminal respiratory failure.This case indicates that diaphragmatic changes should be added to the list of respiratory complications of scleroderma.
D000328:Adult; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007040:Hypoventilation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology