Abstract

An observational study of treatment outcome in cutaneous systemic sclerosis

Author(s): Mushtaq Ahmad, Fayaz Ahmad Sofi, Ashiq Hussain Parrey & Bilal Ahmad Rather

Objective: An observational method was used for estimation of the effectiveness of different current treatment regimens on skin thickening of PSS. Method: 34 patients of scleroderma were treated with cyclophosphamide-MMF (15); cyclophosphamide-AZA (4); MMF (3), cyclophosphamide (3); Azathioprine (1.8) were only on sildenafil. The primary outcome measure was Modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS). Result: The study included 34 patients. 15 patients were on cyclophosphamide followed by MMF. MRSS improved from mean 20.33 to 16.07. 4 patients treated with cyclophosphamide followed by AZA, MRSS improved from mean 23 to 16. 3 patients on MMF alone, MRSS improved from mean of 10.33 to 8. 3 were only on cyclophosphamide MRSS improved from 17 to 15 (mean). One patient was on Azathioprine, MRSS improved from 6 to 4. 8 patients were only on Sildenafil for Raynaud’s phenomenon and MRSS worsened from mean 12 to 13.38. Conclusion: Improvement observed in all regimens of immunosuppressant and skin thickening worsened in those without on any immunosuppressant.