Scleroderma

What is the life expectancy of someone with Scleroderma?

Life expectancy of people with Scleroderma and recent progresses and researches in Scleroderma

Scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the connective tissues in the body. It is characterized by the abnormal production of collagen, leading to thickening and hardening of the skin, blood vessels, and internal organs. The severity and progression of scleroderma can vary widely among individuals, making it challenging to provide a definitive answer regarding life expectancy.

Life expectancy in scleroderma:

It is important to note that scleroderma affects each person differently, and the disease can manifest in various forms, including limited cutaneous scleroderma and diffuse cutaneous scleroderma. Additionally, the involvement of internal organs can significantly impact prognosis.

1. Limited cutaneous scleroderma:

In limited cutaneous scleroderma, the skin involvement is typically limited to the hands, face, and lower arms. This form of scleroderma is generally associated with a better prognosis compared to diffuse cutaneous scleroderma. Many individuals with limited cutaneous scleroderma can lead relatively normal lives and have a near-normal life expectancy.

2. Diffuse cutaneous scleroderma:

Diffuse cutaneous scleroderma involves widespread skin thickening, affecting not only the hands, face, and lower arms but also the trunk and legs. This form of scleroderma is often associated with more severe internal organ involvement, such as the lungs, heart, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. The prognosis for individuals with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma can vary widely depending on the extent of organ involvement and the response to treatment.

Factors influencing life expectancy:

Several factors can influence the life expectancy of someone with scleroderma:

Organ involvement: The severity of internal organ involvement plays a significant role in determining prognosis. If vital organs such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys are affected, it can impact life expectancy.

Disease progression: Scleroderma can progress at different rates in different individuals. Some may experience a slow progression of symptoms over many years, while others may have a more rapid progression.

Response to treatment: Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help manage symptoms and slow down disease progression. The response to treatment can vary among individuals and can influence their overall prognosis.

Complications: Scleroderma can lead to various complications, such as pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, kidney problems, and heart complications. These complications can impact life expectancy depending on their severity and management.

Overall health: The general health and well-being of an individual can also influence their life expectancy. Factors such as age, overall fitness, and the presence of other underlying health conditions can impact prognosis.

Improving prognosis and quality of life:

While scleroderma is a chronic condition without a cure, advancements in medical treatments and management strategies have significantly improved outcomes for individuals with the disease. Early diagnosis, regular medical follow-ups, and a multidisciplinary approach involving rheumatologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, and other specialists can help optimize treatment and improve prognosis.

Moreover, lifestyle modifications, such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking, managing stress, and protecting the skin from injury and extreme temperatures, can contribute to a better quality of life for individuals with scleroderma.

Conclusion:

Scleroderma is a complex disease with varying presentations and outcomes. It is challenging to provide a specific life expectancy for someone with scleroderma due to the individualized nature of the disease and the numerous factors that can influence prognosis. While some individuals with limited cutaneous scleroderma can have a near-normal life expectancy, the prognosis for those with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma can be more variable, depending on the extent of organ involvement and response to treatment. Early diagnosis, appropriate medical care, and a healthy lifestyle can help improve outcomes and enhance the quality of life for individuals living with scleroderma.

by Diseasemaps

Research still going on, I can't really say. But people are living with it having a normal life

4/1/17 by Fashah 1150

Normally between 6 and 15 years. I am living with it for 42 years.

4/1/17 by Milda 1000

This varies widely depending on the antibody-based disease variant. Patients with limited systemic scleroderma variants often lead relatively normal lifespans but with steadily increasing disability over time. Patients with diffuse variants have significantly reduced lifespans. Typical 10 year survival rates with diffuse variants is in the 60% range. The most common causes of death in scleroderma patients is lung involvement followed by heart involvement. Kidney failure is less of an issue than it used to be because of the discovery that ACE inhibitors can be very effective in dealing with scleroderma renal crisis (SRC). Recent research on autologous stem cell transplants (HSCT), a treatment where the immune system is first destroyed and then rebuilt from the patient's own stem cells, suggests that this may be more effective than conventional treatments in patients with rapidly progressing diffuse disease. However, even with optimum patient selection, there is about a 5% mortality rate for the procedure, which is why it is only being tried in patients with poor prognosis. Recent research on therapeutic plasma exchange suggests that this may be an effective option but more research is needed to verify this.

4/4/17 by Choclit 1150

It really depends on the severity of their disease and how quickly it is progressing

3/30/18 by Amy 2600

Life expectancy is full of mystery, even for those who do not have a Scleroderma label. Make the best of what you are able to do. Of course, 'tight skin' and inflexibility will impact those more who have lung or heart affected but speak to your doctor about ways to lessen the impact. I have no motility in my esophagus. I've learned to use 'gravity' to eat early and let gravity take my food down. This means, I eat before 7:00 pm I now have some lung and heart impact to my overall health and have been told someday (not today) I will need a heart valve replacement. Therefore, I keep a close tab on my heart health.

11/21/18 by Juanita 1900

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I do not know every case is a world

2/24/17 by . Translated

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in general, the hope of life is decreased when complications occur lung or kidney, and at present the biological drugs have been shown useful in decreasing the severity of the complications of the disease...the problem is its high cost and the lack of coverage in many countries

2/27/17 by cecilia miranda. Translated

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Depends on the degree of involvement and the organs involved. I don't know that there is no important novelty

3/21/17 by Amparo. Translated

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Scientific breakthrough I don't know but the hope of life is great, I think that you can pass the 70 years of life

3/23/17 by ana h. Translated

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Although there are no medical advances, or offers no hope to the patients, I recently found that a doctor Alfonso Valdivia of Mexico city promises a treatment based on minoácidos that improves the condition of life of the patients of scleroderma. Honestly we have not been able to wear it to my sister for lack of time and money, since the treatment ranges between $20 000 (MEXICAN PESOS).

4/28/17 by Alma Olivia. Translated

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Depends on the type of scleroderma and the impact that you have made to your body.

5/15/17 by Lucero. Translated

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Depends on how you evolve the disease and which organs are affected. Each case is different. You can go very fast or be years without developing any serious symptom.

5/18/17 by Montse. Translated

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The scientific advancement that we still don't know very serious bone marrow transplantation.

9/30/17 by Carol. Translated

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According to information read in 2 five-year periods, the lungs collapse . After 3 years of suffering and having gone to a private physician and spending a fortune I went to the social security as a retiree that I am, and that is where I was diagnosed with in October 2017

11/22/17 by Martín Luis Durán Salamanca. Translated

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