title: Clinical features of scleroderma patients with contracture of phalanges.
abstract: Contracture of phalanges (CP) is a frequent complication of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The objective of this study was to examine the prevalance of CP in patients with SSc and investigate the clinical and laboratory features of SSc patients with CP. Three hundred and fifty patients with SSc were examined. CP was found in 164 of the 350 patients (47%) with SSc. The prevalence of oesophageal involvement, pulmonary fibrosis or heart involvement was significantly greater in the patients with CP than that in those without CP. Our study suggested that the presence of CP may be a marker of oesophageal involvement, pulmonary fibrosis and heart involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, and Mita Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashida
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihn
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jinnin
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Masahide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003286:Contracture / Q000209:etiology*; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000276:immunology; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D050278:Finger Phalanges / Q000473:pathology*; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D050277:Toe Phalanges / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I