How is scleroderma diagnosed?
The diagnosis of the scleroderma syndrome is based on the finding of the clinical features of the illnesses. Nearly all patients with scleroderma have blood tests which suggest autoimmunity, antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). A particular antibody, the anticentromere antibody, is found almost exclusively in the limited, or CREST, form of scleroderma. Anti-Scl 70 antibody (antitopoisomerase I antibody) is most often seen in patients with the diffuse form of scleroderma. Other tests are used to evaluate the presence or extent of any internal disease. These may include upper and lower gastrointestinal tests to evaluate the bowels, chest x-rays, lung function testing, and CAT scanning to examine the lungs, EKG and echocardiograms, and sometimes heart catheterization to evaluate the pressure in the arteries of the heart and lungs. How is scleroderma treated? Treatment of scleroderma is directed toward the individual feature(s) affecting different areas of the body. Aggressive treatment of eleva
