Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disease. It can cause problems in many systems in the body and affect people in different ways.
Scleroderma experts at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC specialize in diagnosing and treating this complex disease.
We know about the wide range of symptoms and health problems scleroderma can cause. And we care about treating this disease in a proactive way and pushing research forward.
Our immune system doctors work with skin, lung, heart, and GI tract experts.
These partners from the following services help us prevent the disease from causing long-term health issues:
Learn more about scleroderma causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Scleroderma Services at UPMC
We diagnose, monitor, and treat both localized and systemic types of scleroderma.
We also care for people with health issues that mimic or overlap with scleroderma. These include mixed connective tissue disease and Raynaud's syndrome.
Our services include:
- Complete work-ups, with a first visit lasting one or two hours.
- The full range of treatments for scleroderma and related health problems.
- Testing to look for early changes in the organs and blood vessels, to prevent long-term damage.
- A team of doctors who focus on the immune system, skin, lung, heart, and digestive tract.
- Training to help you stay healthy.
- In-person and virtual visits, based on your needs.
Why Choose UPMC for Care?
Our experts have:
- Led treatment, research, and advocacy for more than 40 years.
- Treated more than 5,000 people with scleroderma.
- Published more than 500 research papers aimed at helping people with this disease live longer, healthier lives.
As a leading scleroderma treatment center in the United States, we:
- Offer more conclusive tests that many other centers don't.
- Host the largest registry of people with scleroderma, which helps us advance better tests and treatments.
- Are the only center with an $8 million National Institutes of Health research grant for seeking a cure for scleroderma.
We have strong partners. Whether you need a skin or kidney doctor, you can trust the person you're seeing understands your rare disease.
Our center also partners with the UPMC Lung Transplant Program. UPMC was the first in the U.S. to perform lung transplants for people with severe scleroderma.
We also offer scleroderma research trials for people who need options beyond current, approved treatments.
Make a Scleroderma Appointment at UPMC