The time between the onset of the disease and the appearance of symptoms in scleroderma varies from person to person, ranging from a few years to decades.
Scleroderma is a connective tissue disease characterized by localized or widespread hardening of the skin and progressive sclerosis of the internal organs. Its cause is unknown and is related to genetic and immunologic factors.
Raynaud’s phenomenon is the most common first symptom of scleroderma, which is seen as paroxysmal spasm and ischemia of the small arteries and microvessels of the fingers (toes). The time from first symptom to skin damage, bone, joint and muscle damage, vascular damage, and organ involvement varies from person to person, ranging from a few years to decades.
Treatment of scleroderma is focused on blocking new skin and organ involvement, and therapeutic measures include anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antifibrotic, and vascular lesion-specific therapies. Commonly used medications include methotrexate, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, prednisone, and epoprostenol, all of which should be administered under the guidance of a medical professional.
It is recommended that patients diagnosed with scleroderma go to the hospital in a timely manner and follow the doctor’s instructions for standardized treatment to avoid delays.