Critères de classification des sclérodermies

[Hypertension in scleroderma: A vital emergency]

PURPOSE

In systemic sclerosis, hypertension is feared because it is often heralding severe renal impairment. The objective of our study was to identify the frequency of arterial hypertension and clarify its etiologies in this condition.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Our study was prospective. From January 2008 to May 2012, we have included all patients over the age of 16 years which featured a systemic scleroderma meeting the criteria for classification of Leroy and Medsger modified. Blood pressure was systematic and hypertension was defined as a greater than 140/90 mmHg PAS/PAD.

RESULTS

We have collected 60 patients. It was 50 women and 10 men with an average age of 41.1 ans ± 13.03. Arterial hypertension was noted in sixteen patients (26.7%) with an average age of 48.8 years ± 13.21. It was nine diffuse cutaneous systemic scleroderma of six limited cutaneous scleroderma and one case of scleroderma sine scleroderma. Etiologic research hypertension had concluded to a renal cause in 12 patients. It was five scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), three vascular nephropathies, four chronic kidney failure (CKD) including three terminals and a moderate CKD. An 'essential' so-called HTA was observed in four patients. Hypertension was a major sign that reported five cases of SRC. These patients had received treatment anti hypertensive and renal extra cleansing.

DISCUSSION

Hypertension is common in systemic scleroderma. Our data approximates of literature when its frequency and severity.

CONCLUSION

Hypertension is a major warning sign that under no circumstances should overlook it or novo or secondary aggravation. Its support must be very early under penalty to put at stake the life-threatening in particular during the CRS.

[Diffuse infiltrative lung disease in scleroderma. Analysis of radio-clinical and functional semiology]

Scleroderma (SD) is a systemic disease that predominantly affects the skin. Diffuse infiltrative lung disease (DILD) is rare and occurs most often in the course of the disease. We analyzed seven cases of DILO of SD recorded between 2003 and 2010 among 196 PID (3.6%). Functional signs were limited to respiratory dyspnea, it was associated to dysphagia in six cases, dry syndrome in five cases and Raynaud's phenomenon in four cases. Clinical examination found crackles in the bases of the thorax in all cases and specific cutaneous signs in six cases. The chest radiograph showed that interstitial disease predominates at the lung bases in all cases with a large aspect of the pulmonary arteries in two cases. The chest CT scan confirmed the predominance of basal and peripheral damage with signs of fibrosis in six cases. The pulmonary function objectified a severe restrictive ventilatory defect in all cases. Bronchoscopy showed a normal macroscopic appearance in all cases, the broncho-alveolar lavage was predominated by neutrophilic formula in four cases. SCL 70 antibodies were positive in four cases. All patients were treated by steroids with improvement of dyspnea and stabilization of radiographs. A patient had died in an array of acute respiratory failure and one patient was lost to follow-up. DILD in scleroderma is rare and seldom reveals the disease, it affects the patient's prognosis especially when associated with arterial pulmonary hypertension.