What should I do for scleroderma?

Scleroderma is a connective tissue disease characterized by sclerosis of the skin or fibrosis of multiple organs, and undergoes three phases: edema, sclerosis and atrophy of the skin. The disease is divided into limited and systemic, with the former involving only the skin, with localized skin sclerosis; the latter is more common and is divided into extremity-type and diffuse-type, with “extremity-type” sclerosis starting in the limbs and “diffuse-type” sclerosis starting in the trunk, and malignant hypertension may occur. All systemic sclerodermas have involvement of organs outside the skin, including the lungs, heart, gastrointestinal tract, exocrine glands, kidneys, bone marrow, and joints, in order of incidence and severity. Raynaud’s phenomenon (whitening and purpling of the hands on exposure to cold) is characteristic of systemic scleroderma and occurs in almost all patients. There is also a specific type, CREST syndrome, which is characterized by cutaneous calcium deposits, Raynaud’s phenomenon, abnormal esophageal motility, sclerosis of the fingers or toes, and capillary dilatation. The disease has a serious impact on the quality of life of patients and is life-threatening. Most of the disease has a long course, and only a few die within a short period of time, so it is important to be prepared to fight the disease for a long time. Patients with systemic scleroderma must undergo a “systematic evaluation” after admission to the hospital, i.e., to learn about the condition of the organs. The main treatments are as follows: i. Treatment of the skin Early treatment is the key. High-power UVA1 irradiation is effective for all types of scleroderma, especially limited, and it can be cured if irradiated for 3-6 months. Systemic must be supplemented with drug therapy, commonly used prednisone about 20mg/day and dose gradually increasing penicillamine, long-term use of white peony total glycosides, as well as cumulonimbus tablets, ketotifen and so on. Second, the treatment for various symptoms and organ damage 1, Raynaud’s phenomenon: keep warm, quit smoking is crucial. Intravenous danshen or prostaglandin and oral calcium channel blockers. Interstitial pneumonia: prevent cold and flu, and choose the treatment plan according to the degree of lesions. 3.Heart: except for serious cardiomyopathy, all of them can be effectively treated at present, such as pericarditis and pulmonary hypertension. 4.Gastrointestinal tract: keep the mouth clean, rinse the mouth or chew gum after eating; stand upright after meals, don’t lie down within 30 minutes; inform the physician in time when there is diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain. 5.Others: avoid touching the ulcers on the fingers or toes, and consult the doctor in time if the fingers or toes continue to appear purple-black color. Regular outpatient follow-up Adjust the therapeutic drugs and observe the side effects of the therapeutic drugs through outpatient follow-up.