Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Hardening of the skin is one of the most visible manifestations of the disease. It's estimated that about 300,000 Americans have scleroderma. About one third of those people have the systemic form of scleroderma. Since scleroderma presents with symptoms similar to other autoimmune diseases, diagnosis is difficult. This issue will cover: The Genetic Basis of SSc: Genetics, Epigenetics, Mechanisms of Pathogenesis - linking fibrosis, vasculopathy and immune dysregulation, The Role of Autoantibodies in Diagnosis and Prognosis/survival, Managing Raynaud's phenomenon and ischemic ulcers Managing SSc Lung Disease, Monitoring for and Managing Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, and many more!

A Visual Guide to Scleroderma and Approach to Treatment offers a focused analysis of the diagnosis and management of scleroderma. Specifically designed to enlighten and update students and trainees, practicing rheumatologists and general practitioners on the various forms of systemic sclerosis, the book is designed to be an easily accessible tool that also covers potential complications and the latest treatment developments. A Visual Guide to Scleroderma and Approach to Treatment emphasizes recognition of common clinical features by focusing on and illustrating severe and less severe forms of the disease that can involve internal organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, heart, lungs and kidneys. Photos and radiographs introduce each chapter and are accompanied by a guide to workup and treatment. A comprehensive and invaluable addition to the literature, this text is not only a necessary resource for students, trainees and primary care physicians; it will also be of significant interest to specialists in the fields of rheumatology, dermatology, pulmonology, cardiology, gastroenterology and nephrology.

The Scleroderma Book has long been considered the leading source of information for patients suffering with this disease. Now comes the Second Edition of this highly respected volume, extensively revised by Maureen Mayes, M.D., the leading authority in this field.
Writing specifically for patients and their families, Dr. Mayes draws on her extensive experience treating scleroderma to provide up-to-date, practical information that will help patients manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Dr. Mayes begins with an easily accessible description of the basic facts, distinguishing between the many manifestations of the disease, ranging from localized scleroderma (small patches of hardened skin, most common in children, which tend to clear up over time) to systemic scleroderma, which can attack the lungs, the kidneys, and the blood vessels, and can be life threatening. Equally important, she offers sympathetic and reassuring advice on matters that often concern patients, such as the best course of action for those who want children, what to do if the disease affects your sex life, and what you can do to help your doctor treat your illness more effectively. The book concludes with a good humored, frank discussion about how to cope, day in and day out, with an uncertain future--how to be a "person living with" scleroderma, not a "victim suffering from" it. The new edition has updated chapters on the genetics of scleroderma and on new treatments for complications of this disease.
Touching on virtually every aspect of this disorder, The Scleroderma Book provides a reliable source of information and reassurance for patients of any age and no matter how severe their form of the disease.
Endorsed by the leading national advocate group, The Scleroderma Foundation