Progressive Systemic Sclerosis Associated with Various Autoantibodies

Abstract

A 20-year-old woman with progressive systemic sclerosis during 10 years was surgically treated for an acute abdomen, associated with high fever, in the summer of 1983. Since then, laboratory data revealed the presence of hypocomplimentemia, hyper-γ-globulinemia, anti-DNA-antibody, anti-nRNP-antibody, anti-Sm-antibody, LE cells, and a positive lupus band test. She was put on oral corticosteroids, and the scleroderma and pigmentation improved considerably. This case presents PSS overlapping with the immunological findings of SLE and it shares signs and symptoms of mesenchymal scleroderma (Winkelmann).