Does arthritis research focus on scleroderma?
Scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease are related conditions that affect the connective tissues, such as the skin and blood vessels. Researchers are looking for better ways to diagnose and treat these diseases. Autoantibodies discovered in the blood have helped doctors separate the diagnoses of three very similar conditions scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease and polymyositis. A new technique using ultrasound is also helping measure skin thickness in scleroderma. A drug used to treat severe high blood pressure, called captopril, has also been used to dramatically reduce blood pressure and protect the kidneys in people with scleroderma, who developed a serious form of kidney disease.Does arthritis research focus on lupus? Systemic lupus erythematosus most often affects young women and involves a disorder in the body’s immune system that can affect many parts of the body, including joints. Scientists are finding different genetic patterns and autoantibodies for lupus a
