Diagnosis of Scleroderma

Differential Diagnosis of Scleroderma

There are several conditions in which scleroderma-like skin lesions may appear in conjunction with other conditions. These are called "overlap syndromes" and include:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Polymyositis
• Eosinophilic fasciitis
• Mixed connective tissue disease
• Dermatomyositis

Other conditions that have to be considered and excluded in the differential diagnosis of systemic scleroderma include:

• Primary Raynaud's phenomenon
• Drug effects (such as bleomycin, ergot derivatives, beta blockers, methysergide)
• Chemical exposure (such as vinyl chloride)
• Injury to blood vessels due to the use of vibrating tools (such as jackhammers)