SCLERODERMA SYNDROME AND MUSCLE: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

P.F. Carls¹ , L. Zucchinelli²

¹ Consultant, Oral-Maxillofacial Surgeon, 69 Banbury Road, Oxford, UK
² Private Practice, Bergamo, Italy

Correspondence to:

Annals of Stomatology 2022 January-April; 2(1): 36-40
https://doi.org/10.69129/stomatol/2022v2iss1_7

Received: 10 January 2022 Accepted: 3 February 2022

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Abstract

Skeletal and smooth muscles are both affected by complicated muscle involvement in scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis (SSC). The understanding of the cellular and molecular processes underlying the diverse participation of the smooth muscle has significantly increased in recent years. A better knowledge of the clinical features has been made possible by the new techniques for studying smooth muscle cells from the gastrointestinal tract or the vascular wall. In cases of myopathy that are inflammatory in character, it is advised to utilize glucocorticoids, modifying antirheumatic drugs, and calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine and amlodipine. Patients typically do not receive treatment when there is no discernible inflammatory component. The prognosis for SSC is greatly improved by early diagnosis and novel therapeutic options, but it continues to have a severe course and a high chance of premature death. This review summarizes the epidemiology, histopathological factors, and muscle involvement related to SSC and provides insight into ongoing treatment.

Keywords: myopathies, non-inflammatory myopathy, scleroderma syndrome, systemic sclerosis