Hematological abnormalities in scleroderma. A study of 180 cases.
Hematological abnormalities in scleroderma indicate a specific complication of the disease itself, or an associated illness. Among 180 patients with scleroderma, anemia was detected in 25% and was attributed to chronic inflammatory disease (usually an overlap syndrome), bleeding mucosal telangiectases as part of the CREST syndrome, intestinal malabsorption, and microangiopathic hemolysis. Leukocytosis, present in 14%, was correlated with active myopathy and/or advanced visceral involvement while leukopenia was suggestive of a crossover with systemic lupus erythematosus. Thrombocytopenia was often a manifestation of microangiopathy, and thrombocytosis was associated with an arteritis or a tumor syndrome.
D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000209:etiology; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000209:etiology