Morbidity and Disability in Juvenile Localized Scleroderma: The Case for Early Recognition and Systemic Immunosuppressive Treatment

Juvenile localized scleroderma , also called morphea, is a chronic autoimmune and fibrosing disease that often causes severe damage in the growing child. Morbidities usually arise from extracutaneous involvement, and include joint contractures, hemiatrophy, seizures, and vision impairment. Studies have found extracutaneous involvement in 43-70% of jLS patients (1-4), and functional impairment in over a quarter of the 381 patients in a North American jLS registry (1).
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Medical Progress Source Type: research