The primary objective was to describe the cutaneous manifestations and
nailfold dermoscopy in Scleroderma. The secondary objective was to study interleukin 6
levels in subset of diffuse systemic sclerosis patients.
Methodology: We recruited 35 patients between a study period of February 2014 to
September 2015. All patients were examined for cutaneous manifestation of systemic
sclerosis and dermoscopy of the nail fold capillary was performed using Heine delta 20
dermoscope. The severity of the disease was assessed using a Modified Rodnan Skin
score. In a subset of patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis interleukin -6 levels were
assessed. The prelevence was expressed in term of percentage along with 95%
confidence interval. The association of dermoscopic capillary pattern and Rodnan skin
score with various clinical manifestations was evaluated using χ² tests.
Results: In our study we had a female preponderance with 91% of patients with diffuse
type of disease. Cutaneous sclerosis was present in 97.1 % of our patients with upper
limb being the commonest site of involvement. Pigmanetary disturbances were
commoner in our study (94.3%) with commonest abnormality being salt and pepper
pigmentation. Commonent systemic manifestation was interstitial lung disease (74.3%).
The commonest pattern in nalifold dermoscopy was dilated capillaries (91.4%).
Scleroderma pattern was seen in 77.1% of our patients. Interleukin 6 was elevated in 2 of
7 of our patents
