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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
- Habif TP. Scleroderma. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1149581384&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00026-2--s0540&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00026-2--s0605&uniqId=239740754-5. Accessed April 23, 2011.
- Ferri FF. Scleroderma (progressive systemic sclerosis). In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00028-7--sc29005&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&sid=1149581384&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00028-7--s29225&uniqId=239740754-5#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00028-7--s29225. Accessed April 23, 2011.
- Systemic sclerosis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec04/ch032/ch032h.html. Accessed April 23, 2011.
- Steen VD. The many faces of scleroderma. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;34:1.
- Autoimmune connective tissue disease. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..00007-7--sc0040&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&sid=1149586698&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..00007-7--s0715&uniqId=239740754-7#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..00007-7--s0715. Accessed April 23, 2011.
- Handout on health: Scleroderma. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Scleroderma/default.asp. Accessed April 23, 2011.
- Agarwal SK, et al. Genetics and genomic studies in scleroderma (systemic sclerosis). Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;34:17.
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