title: Stiff skin syndrome and myeloma successfully treated with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
abstract: Stiff skin syndrome (SSS) is a rare scleroderma-like syndrome characterised by stone hard skin, joint limitation and progressive restriction of chest that may lead to death. We describe the efficacy of haematopoietic autologous stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in a case of SSS secondary to a smouldering myeloma (SM), with severe joint disability, lung interstitial disease and oesophageal dysfunction. The patient was evaluated at 1, 12 and 18 months after HSCT, clinically (joint motility, HAQ and NYHA for dyspnoea) and instrumentally (DLCO, chest HRCT, oesophagus x-ray). After 18 months since HSCT, we observed a high improvement, contemporaneously to SM remission, of HAQ, joint motility, lung (at DLCO and HRCT) and oesophageal abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. bandin@hotmail.it
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bandinelli
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saccardi
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salvadorini
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gozzini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matucci Cerinic
mesh_terms: D003286:Contracture / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012873:Skin Diseases, Genetic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome