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Can we define difficult-to-treat systemic sclerosis?

Gabriella SzűcsZoltán SzekaneczSzilvia Szamosi
Published in: Expert review of clinical immunology (2024)
Despite recent advances in the management of SSc over the last decades, the disease presents significant morbidity and mortality. Although available treatment protocols brought significant advancements in terms of survival in SSc-associated interstitial lung disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension, less success has been achieved in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon and digital ulcers and the results are modest in case of heart, gastrointestinal, and renal manifestations. There are patients who do not respond to treatment and deteriorate even with adequate therapy. They can be considered difficult-to treat (D2T) cases. We have created a possible score system based on the individual organ manifestations and highlighted treatment options for the D2T SSc category.
Keyphrases
  • systemic sclerosis
  • interstitial lung disease
  • pulmonary arterial hypertension
  • heart failure
  • pulmonary hypertension
  • stem cells
  • atrial fibrillation