title: Widespread scleredema associated with paraproteinemia and generalized osteoarthritis in an HLA-B39 positive patient.
abstract: Scleredema adultorum (SA) is a rare sclerotic disorder characterized by non-pitting induration of the neck with acral progression, sparing hands and feet. We report on a 57-year-old male with severe SA associated with paraproteinemia, treated with methotrexate. Such widespread skin thickening followed by severe movement restriction and inability to function on daily basis, as in our patient, has never been described. Severe osteoarthritis and finding of HLA-B39 allele in association with SA has not been previously described either. To the best of our knowledge, up to 40 patients with SA associated with paraproteinemia has been reported so far, and currently, there is no established effective treatment protocol. In our patient, low-dose methotrexate resulted in stiffness reduction, increased motility of the trunk and extremities, and ability to function on daily basis. We believe that any information about treatment outcome in SA patients should be disseminated in order to establish consensual treatment protocol for this rare disease.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Dermatovenereology and Venereology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Popadić
authors.forename: Dušan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skiljević
authors.forename: Darko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antić
authors.forename: Branislava
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Milenković
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Medenica
mesh_terms: D059946:HLA-B39 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D012592:Scleredema Adultorum / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D059946:HLA-B39 Antigen; D008727:Methotrexate