title: Nursing problems of patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease connective tissue and one of the most common collagen diseases. There are several clinical types of scleroderma which differ in their course, possible complications and prognosis. The most characteristic form SSc is limited and diffuse systemic sclerosis. The SSc is characterized by the progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, leading to their failure, morphology and blood vessels disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our work is to identify the main health problems of patients suffering from systemic sclerosis depending on its clinical form: limited systemic sclerosis (ISSc) and diffuse systemic sclerosis (dSSc); to determine the influence of disease duration on symptom intensification in patients with LSSc and dSSc.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 63 patients with systemic sclerosis diagnosed according to the criteria of the American Rheumatism Association (ARA), 47 of whom had limited systemic sclerosis (ISSc) (74.6%) and 16--diffuse systemic sclerosis (dSSc) (25.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The key thing in the complex therapy is to recognize the individual care problems of the patient, to assess his ability to cope with the disease in daily life and to plan care, support, education and help of other professionals. The main aim of individual nursing care is to alleviate ailments, prevent infections, observe life-threatening conditions and to educate the patient as regards self-care and self-observation.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Nursing, Medical University of Białystok, Poland. matyldasierakowska@gazeta.pl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sierakowska
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sierakowski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewko
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jankowiak
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kowalczuk
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krajewska-Kułak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000503:physiopathology; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D045745:Scleroderma, Limited / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior