What parts of the body does scleroderma affect?
Nearly everyone who has scleroderma experiences a hardening and tightening of the skin. The first parts of the body to be affected are usually the fingers, hands, feet and face. In some people, the skin thickening can also involve the forearms, upper arms, chest, abdomen, lower legs and thighs.
What are the symptoms of Crest?
CREST is the acronym used to describe a number of conditions within the category of systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).
…
Depending on the body part affected, symptoms can include:
- Skin dryness or hardening.
- Discoloration of the skin.
- Joint pain.
- Fatigue.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Heartburn.
- Persistent cough.
- Shortness of breath.
What are the final stages of scleroderma?
This type of scleroderma is typically accompanied by shortness of breath, a persistent cough, and the inability to perform routine physical activities. End-stage scleroderma often causes pulmonary fibrosis and/or pulmonary hypertension, both of which can be life-threatening.
What triggers CREST syndrome?
CREST syndrome is characterized by: Calcinosis: Calcium skin deposits. Raynaud’s phenomenon: A condition in which the blood vessels of the fingers and toes spasm when triggered by factors, such as cold, stress or illness.
How does scleroderma affect your stomach?
Stomach symptoms in scleroderma are due to slow emptying of food into the small intestine. The retention of food in the stomach leads to the sensation of nausea, vomiting, fullness, or bloating (also known as gastroparesis).
What blood tests indicate scleroderma?
Antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing is the most important blood test to screen for scleroderma and other connective tissue diseases.
What is the life expectancy of someone with CREST syndrome?
The prognosis of CREST syndrome is relatively good with a long lasting disease duration (>10 years). Two complications are seldom associated with CREST syndrome: digital gangrene with finger losses and pulmonary hypertension (3 to 14% of CREST syndrome).
Is CREST an autoimmune disease?
Scleroderma refers to a number of conditions that cause an abnormal buildup of collagen in the body. Too much of this protein makes your skin and other connective tissues thicken and harden. In some cases, it can also affect your organs, such as the lungs and heart. CREST syndrome is an autoimmune disease.
Can scleroderma cause sudden death?
Sudden Cardiac Death. Scleroderma may affect virtually all cardiac structures and is associated with an increased risk of death. Symptoms such as palpitations or syncope are predictive of ECG abnormalities in patients with SSc.
What foods should be avoided with scleroderma?
Avoid eating two to three hours before bed- time. Avoid foods that may aggra- vate symptoms such as citrus fruits, tomato products, greasy fried foods, coffee, garlic, onions, peppermint, gas-producing foods (such as raw peppers, beans, broccoli or raw onions), spicy foods, carbonated beverages and alcohol.
Does CREST syndrome affect the brain?
In conclusion, the advanced calcifications of small vessels in the brain of these two women with a long-lasting CREST syndrome suggest that systemic sclerosis may induce primary cerebrovascular changes, of which wall calcification may be a marker.
Can scleroderma cause bowel issues?
After Raynaud phenomenon and skin thickening, involvement of the gastrointestinal system is the most common feature of scleroderma. Gastrointestinal involvement occurs only in systemic sclerosis but is a prominent feature of both diffuse scleroderma and limited scleroderma. Dr.
Can scleroderma affect internal organs?
Scleroderma is an uncommon condition that results in hard, thickened areas of skin and sometimes problems with internal organs and blood vessels. Scleroderma is caused by the immune system attacking the connective tissue under the skin and around internal organs and blood vessels.
What can be mistaken for scleroderma?
Diagnosis and Tests
Because it can affect other parts of the body — such as the joints — scleroderma may be initially mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
What virus causes scleroderma?
One theory suggests that scleroderma is caused by a virus or other infection. For example, a common virus called CMV (cytomegalovirus) is known to infect cells (endothelial cells) that line our blood vessels, which we know are diseased in scleroderma (3).
Can you live a full life with CREST syndrome?
What is the most serious complication of scleroderma?
Kidney Symptoms and Complications
The typical course of kidney involvement in scleroderma is a slow progression that may produce some damage but does not usually lead to kidney failure. The most serious kidney complication in scleroderma is renal crisis.
Does scleroderma affect the brain?
Answer. The brain is not affected by scleroderma and so other causes of memory loss should not be ruled out. Depression and stress which is common in scleroderma may be a cause of memory loss.
Does scleroderma affect the intestines?
In scleroderma, the muscles of the intestines become weakened and ultimately get replaced by scar tissue. Thus symptoms arise related to where the muscle damage is and how severe it becomes.
Can scleroderma cause digestive problems?
In scleroderma, the GI tract is the most commonly involved system, other than the skin, with the esophagus most commonly affected. Typical symptoms in scleroderma patients range widely, including dysphagia, heartburn, regurgitation and nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation and incontinence.
What is the life expectancy of someone with CREST?
In a large 2003 US study by Mayes et al, the survival rate from time of diagnosis was computed to be 77.9% at 5 years, 55.1% at 10 years, 37.4% at 15 years, and 26.8% at 20 years. The extent of skin involvement is a good predictor of survival in patients with scleroderma.
Does CREST syndrome cause fatigue?
You may also feel very tired. Some people describe this tiredness as similar to that in people getting cancer treatment. Or it’s similar to the fatigue caused by lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Over time, CREST syndrome can cause problems with your internal organs, such as your heart and lungs.
Does scleroderma affect the colon?
Large Intestine (Bowel/Colon)
In scleroderma, there is a weakening of the gut muscles and impaired motility. This can lead to constipation. Constipation means different things to different people.
What does scleroderma do to the digestive system?
In the gastrointestinal tract, scleroderma can cause progressive atrophy and collagenous fibrous replacement of the muscularis, which may affect any part or all of the gastrointestinal tract but is more prominent in the esophagus. The lower two thirds of the esophagus often develops a rubber hosepipe-like consistency.
How fast does systemic scleroderma progress?
In general, without treatment, the skin thickening will reach its peak within 1-2 years after it starts and will then begin to loosen.