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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staff- Sex. Women are far more likely to develop limited scleroderma than men are.
- Race. In the United States, limited scleroderma affects women of African descent more often than women of European descent. Choctaw Native Americans also have higher rates of limited scleroderma than other races.
- Genetic factors. If someone in your family has an autoimmune disease — such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Hashimoto's disease — you have an increased risk of developing limited scleroderma.
- Exposure to toxins. Toxic substances, such as polyvinyl chloride, benzene, silica and trichloroethylene, may trigger scleroderma in people with a genetic predisposition to the disease.
References
- Handout on health: Scleroderma. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Scleroderma/default.asp. Accessed March 18, 2009.
- Steen VD. The many faces of scleroderma. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;34:1.
- Wigley FM. Scleroderma. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/126871837-5/818551240/1492/1032.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50293-7--cesec9_13002. Accessed March 19, 2009.
- Raynaud's phenomenon. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Raynauds_Phenomenon/default.asp. Accessed March 18, 2009.
- Interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis. American Lung Association. http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2060161&content_id={4350F20F-98E4-403B-A33B-68B20A3C2FBA}¬oc=1. Accessed March 19, 2009.
- Pulmonary hypertension. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pah/pah_what.html. Accessed March 19, 2009.
- Denton CP. Overview of the treatment and prognosis of systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 20, 2009.
