Demography, clinical and laboratory features of systemic sclerosis in a Malaysian rheumatology centre

A six year retrospective study of the demography, clinical and laboratory features of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) was carried out in Selayang Hospital. There were 61 cases seen between January 2000 and December 2005. Of these, 55 (90.2%) were females and 6 (9.8%) were males. Twenty-eight (45.9%) were Malays, 24 (39.3%) were Chinese and 9 (14.8%) were Indians. The mean age of onset was 38.8 years. Thirty-nine (64.0%) had limited cutaneous SSc, 21 (34.4%) had diffuse cutaneous SSc and one had localized morphoea. Raynaud's phenomenon was present in 82.6%, telangiectasia in 45.9%, calcinosis in 11.5%, sclerodactyly in 83.6%, digital pitting scars in 42.6%, digital infarcts/ulcers/gangrene in 23.0%, arthralgia/arthritis in 49.2% and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in 47.5%. Forty-three (70.5%) patients had interstitial lung disease. Seven patients had associated myositis, 7 systemic lupus erythematosus and 2 rheumatoid arthritis. Three had two other connective tissue diseases. Antinuclear antibodies were positive in 83.6% and anti-Scl 70 antibodies in 34.4%. This study demonstrates that limited cutaneous SSc is more common and there is a high incidence of interstitial lung disease in our population.
Study site: Selayang Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia