Severe extrapulmonary thoracic restriction caused by morphea, a form of localized scleroderma.
A prevalent clinical perception is that thoracic restriction in patients with morphea or scleroderma should not result from cutaneous sclerosis alone; that there must be some underlying parenchymal lung disease or respiratory muscle weakness. But herein we describe a patient with morphea and severe thoracic restriction that appears to result mainly from cutaneous sclerosis.
Aguayo
S M
SM
Department of Medicine, Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, GA 30033.
Richardson
C L
CL
Roman
J
J
D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000150:complications*; D013909:Thorax