[Treatment of systemic sclerosis]

Abstract

Treatment of systemic sclerosis is based upon 3 types of medications modifiers of disease: drugs which prevent vascular damage, antifibrotric agents, and immunomodulators and immunosupressors. Drugs that prevent vascular damage such as: calcium antagonists, prostaglandins analogues, receptors of endothelin blockers (bosentan), inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme, receptors of angiotensin antagonists and inhibitors of 5'-phosphodiesterase have been successful in treating the Raynaud's phenomenon, renal crisis and pulmonary arterial hypertension. In contrast, the results of treatment of fibrosis are discouraging and the D-penicilamine continues being a matter of controversy. The immunosupressor therapy with cyclophosphamide and the transplant of hematopoietic cells, may be beneficial. The knowledge of the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis to molecular level will lead to new treatment strategies.