Scleroderma - Symptoms

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Click the icon to see an image of sclerodactyly.

Other Skin Changes. The following skin symptoms may also occur:

• Flat red marks, known as telangiectasis, may appear in various locations, usually the face, palms, lips, or the inside of the mouth.

Click the icon to see an image of telangiectasia.

• In calcinosis, small white lumps form beneath the skin, sometimes oozing a white substance that looks like toothpaste. Calcinosis can lead to infections.
• The base of the fingernails may show loss of small blood vessels in some places, and widening of small blood vessels in others. This is an indication that internal organs might be involved.
• The entire surface of the skin may get darker over time, and contain patches of abnormally pale skin.
• Hair loss may occur.
• About 1% of patients have Sjogren syndrome, a group of symptoms that include dry eyes and dry mucous membranes (such as those in the mouth).
• Inside the mouth, scleroderma can also cause changes that impair gum healing.

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Bone and Muscle Symptoms

Changes in bones, joints, and muscles may cause the following symptoms:

• Mild arthritis. The condition is usually distributed equally on both sides of the body.
• Bone loss in the fingers. The destruction is not as severe as it is in rheumatoid arthritis, although the fingers may shorten over time.
• Trouble bending the fingers, if the disease has affected the tendons and joints.
• Muscles weakness may occur, especially near the shoulder and hip.

Symptoms in the Digestive Tract

The development of digestive symptoms depend on the extent of the condition:

• Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disorder (heartburn and difficulty in swallowing) are common in the upper part of the digestive tract.
• If the lower part of the digestive tract is affected, patients may become constipated. If scarring in the lower intestine is very severe, watery diarrhea may develop. Many patients do not have lower digestive tract symptoms, although the disease commonly affects this region.

Symptoms in the Lungs

In severe cases, the lungs may be affected, causing shortness of breath or difficulty in taking deep breaths. Shortness of breath may be a symptom of pulmonary hypertension, an uncommon but life-threatening complication of systemic scleroderma.

Click the icon to see an image of the respiratory system.

Review Date: 12/14/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).