title: Localized scleroderma and systemic sclerosis: is there a connection?
abstract: Excess fibrosis of the skin is a clinical hallmark of both localized scleroderma and systemic sclerosis. Localized scleroderma is generally thought to be a skin-limited disease whereas systemic sclerosis can have a wide range of internal organ involvement. Recent data suggest that a subset of patients with juvenile localized scleroderma can go on to develop systemic involvement of their disease. This raises the question of what the connection is, if any, between localized scleroderma and systemic sclerosis.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors: Rajnish A
authors: RA
authors: Gupta
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Fiorentino
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D009017:Morbidity; D012307:Risk Factors; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology