Replied: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 19:55:21 EDT Replied: "ayaussyoff@aol.com (Ayaussyoff) " From root@newsbf02.news.aol.com Sat Sep 28 09:08:54 1996 Received: from MIT.EDU (PACIFIC-CARRIER-ANNEX.MIT.EDU [18.69.0.28]) by bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU (8.6.13/2.3JIK) with SMTP id JAA10824; Sat, 28 Sep 1996 09:08:53 -0400 Received: from ngeout01.news.aol.com by MIT.EDU with SMTP id AA01958; Sat, 28 Sep 96 09:06:44 EDT Received: from newsbf02.news.aol.com (newsbf02.mail.aol.com [152.163.172.50]) by ngeout01.news.aol.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id JAA00446 for ; Sat, 28 Sep 1996 09:10:37 -0400 Received: by newsbf02.news.aol.com (1.38.193.5/16.2) id AA06378; Sat, 28 Sep 1996 09:06:31 -0400 Posted-Date: 28 Sep 1996 09:06:26 -0400 Received-Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 09:06:31 -0400 To: news-answers@MIT.EDU Path: newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail From: ayaussyoff@aol.com (Ayaussyoff) Newsgroups: news.answers Subject: alt.support.scleroderma FAQ Date: 28 Sep 1996 09:06:26 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Lines: 346 Sender: root@newsbf02.news.aol.com Message-Id: <52j7si$677@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Reply-To: ayaussyoff@aol.com (Ayaussyoff) SCLERODERMA F.A.Q. Revised January 14, 1996 Please address all comments and suggestions to: Ed Harris eharris@synnovation.com =========================================================== General Description ------------------- Scleroderma (means "hard skin") is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by abnormal thickening of the skin. It is generally considered to be an auto-immune disorder. There are two major variants of the disease, as well as other less common forms. The more serious form is usually called "diffuse Scleroderma" and is characterized by rapid development of skin thickening beginning with the hands, and face and extending to the arms and trunk. People with diffuse Scleroderma are at greater risk for developing internal organ involvement early in the course of the disease. The other major form is often called limited Scleroderma or CREST Syndrome. The name CREST is an acronym for its characteristic symptoms: calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal involvement, sclerodactyly, [remainder of text deleted by folder-shrink.pl]