J Wound Manag Res.  2019 Sep;15(2):121-124. 10.22467/jwmr.2019.00759.

Diagnosis of Systemic Scleroderma in a Patient with Leg Ulcer

• Ju GS
• Son KM
• Choi WY
• Cheon JS

• KMID: 2465856
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22467/jwmr.2019.00759

Abstract

Systemic scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that affects connective tissue in internal organs and the skin with thickening and fibrosis. When afflicting internal organs, the disease leads to reduced quality of life and even morbidity. Meanwhile, systemic scleroderma of the skin is often indicative of the same disease in internal organs. One symptom of systemic scleroderma of the skin is ulcers, mainly reported on fingers and less so on legs. This makes systemic scleroderma difficult to diagnose when patients present with only a leg ulcer. Here we report a case of a leg ulcer in a 79-year-old woman who was ultimately diagnosed with systemic scleroderma.

Keyword

Early diagnosis; Leg ulcer; Scleroderma, systemic

MeSH Terms

Aged
Autoimmune Diseases
Connective Tissue
Diagnosis*
Early Diagnosis
Female
Fibrosis
Fingers
Humans
Leg Ulcer*
Leg*
Quality of Life
Scleroderma, Systemic*
Skin
Ulcer