Localized scleroderma: a retrospective study about 92 cases

• Published in: Tunisie Medicale Vol. 87; no. 9; p. 573
• Main Authors: El Fékih, Nadia, Réjaibi, Iménc, Kamoun, Hajer, Zéglaoui, Faten, Fazaa, Bécima, Kharfi, Monia, Kamoun, Mohamed Ridha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: Tunisia 01-09-2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Glucocorticoids - administration & dosage; Glucocorticoids - therapeutic use; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prednisone - administration & dosage; Prednisone - therapeutic use; Retrospective Studies; Scleroderma, Localized - complications; Scleroderma, Localized - diagnosis; Scleroderma, Localized - drug therapy; Scleroderma, Localized - epidemiology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0041-4131

Sclerodermas are rare affections which can be located or generalized. Localized form is the most frequent.
The purpose of this study was to describe epidemiologic, clinics, biological, immunological, therapeutic, evolutionary characteristics of the localized scleroderma through a personal series and the data of the literature.
We have performed a retrospective study on all patients followed in the department of dermatology of the Hospital Charles Nicole during 14 years period.
Our study was about 92 cases of localized scleroderma (73 were females and 19 males). The mean age was 35 years (between 2 and 72 years). The majority of localised sclerodermas (66.2% of the cases) appeared before 40 years with a maximum of frequency between 10 and 30 years (41.6%). Only 11.9% of the cases were observed before 10 years. They were 51 cases (55%) of morphea, 35 cases (38%) of scleroderma in bands including 32 linear scleroderma and 3 scleroderma en coup de sabre, 5 cases (5.5%) of generalized morphea and 1 case (0.15%) of deep morphea. Average therapeutic was specified among 63 patients (87%), and the evolution could be appreciated among 45 patients.
The epidemiologic data observed in our series are comparable with those reported in the literature. Therapeutic difficulties and risks of functional after-effects, particular in scleroderma in bands, remain the principal concern for all the authors.