title: Coexistence of morphea and systemic sclerosis.
abstract: While the association of morphea and systemic sclerosis (SSc) is considered to be a rare condition, we observed well-demarcated sclerotic skin changes indistinguishable from morphea in 9 of 135 SSc patients who visited our clinic during the last decade. We consider this rate of incidence (6.7%) to be high enough to consider morphea to be one of the skin involvements of SSc. There was a significantly (p < 0.01) higher incidence of morphea in males (3 of 5) than in females (6 of 130). Only 3 of 111 SSc patients positive for antinuclear antibody (ANA) also showed morphea, whereas 6 of 9 patients negative for ANA showed morphea (p < 0.01). Although the mechanism underlying the development of morphea in SSc patients remains unknown, our observations suggest a heterogeneous pathogenesis related to SSc gender and ANA type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D003094:Collagen; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D003094:Collagen