Dr. Lee Chun Choi – What are the stages of development of scleroderma?
Lead:
Scleroderma is a rare chronic connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis and hardening of the skin and internal organs. The development of scleroderma can be divided into three stages: early, middle and late, each stage is accompanied by different pathological changes and clinical manifestations.
One: early stages
In the early stages of scleroderma, pathological manifestations are mainly skin fibrosis and early damage to internal organs. Patients often have hard, tense, and smooth skin, especially on the fingers and face. In addition, the skin may have symptoms such as pigmentation, telangiectasias, and ulcers on the ends of the fingers. Early damage to internal organs is manifested by esophageal dysfunction, decreased lung function, and heart valve involvement. Scleroderma progresses relatively slowly in the early stages, and patients can slow the progression of the disease with appropriate treatment.
Two: the mid-term stage
As the disease progresses, scleroderma enters an intermediate stage. At this time, the skin fibrosis is further aggravated and the patient's skin may become stiffer and more tense. Skin changes are not limited to the fingers and face, but can also spread to other parts of the body. In addition, patients may experience symptoms such as joint stiffness, muscle wasting, and acral syndrome. Internal organ involvement also progressively worsens, leading to clinical symptoms such as dyspnea, esophageal stricture, and impaired cardiac function. Intermediate stage scleroderma has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients and requires more aggressive treatment and rehabilitation.
Three: late stage
In the advanced stages of scleroderma, skin fibrosis reaches its peak and the patient's skin becomes very stiff, thick and smooth. Muscle wasting causes patients to have severe motor function that is severely limited and even unable to perform normal daily activities. In addition, patients with advanced scleroderma are often associated with severe visceral damage, such as complete esophageal atresia that prevents the patient from eating, pulmonary fibrosis causing dyspnea, and cardiac insufficiency due to cardiac damage due to cardiac damage. Advanced scleroderma has a great impact on the quality of life and survival of patients and requires comprehensive supportive care and care.