title: Systemic sclerosis associated with generalized vasculitis and hypopituitarism.
abstract: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a progressively evolving multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology. Beyond skin, several other organs can also be affected with a severity of involvement that is often heterogeneous. We describe a 53-year-old female patient who was admitted urgently to the hospital almost collapsed, because of numerous bleeding deep skin ulcers, located all over the body. Clinical findings and autoantibody screening were typical of SSc. Moreover, both histopathology and immunofluorescence findings were compatible with scleroderma and vasculitis as well. In addition, pituitary hormone investigation revealed severely damaged function of the gland. We assume that severe skin ulceration and serious hypopituitarism were both implications of underlying SSc-associated vasculitis. To the best of our knowledge, these peculiar clinical manifestations have not been described in the international literature to date.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, 'Tzanio' General Hospital, Tzani 1, 185 36 Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Katsantonis
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Protopsaltis
authors.forename: Stelios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kokkoris
authors.forename: Paris
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brestas
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aroni
authors.forename: Symeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tournis
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannoulis
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000150:complications*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011239:Prednisolone