scleroderma
noun
sclero·der·ma
ˌskler-ə-ˈdər-mə 
: a usually slowly progressive disease marked by the deposition of fibrous connective tissue in the skin and often in internal organs and structures
Examples of scleroderma in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In some cases, though, Raynaud’s occurs secondarily to other health conditions, often autoimmune ones like scleroderma or lupus, Swosty Tuladhar, MD, a rheumatologist at Summit Health, tells SELF.
—
Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 6 Feb. 2025
Klee and Benjamin both died in 1940: Klee, stateless, and who had scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease, drew angels in his dying days; Benjamin died by suicide after fearing capture by the Nazis at France’s border with Spain.
—Emily Labarge, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
That paper described outcomes of 15 people with lupus, scleroderma, or myositis between 4 and 29 months after CAR-T therapy.
—Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 14 Nov. 2024
The study included more than 2,200 people with the autoimmune disease scleroderma.
—John Loeppky, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Raynaud’s is often one of the first symptoms of scleroderma, and all the participants had both conditions.2
Participants were asked to rate the severity of their Raynaud’s symptoms on a ten-point scale every three months from 2014 to 2023.
—John Loeppky, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Autoimmune conditions: Certain autoimmune disorders—such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn's disease, connective tissue disorders, systemic sclerosis, and scleroderma—can affect the structure and function of the esophagus and cause odynophagia.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 13 July 2024
Patients with scleroderma and those with myositis had a reduction in symptoms during the follow-up period.
—Korin Miller, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2024
After Rita died of scleroderma in 2018, Latifah made a documentary to raise awareness of a lung disease that complicated her mother’s condition.
—Emily Lordi, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2023
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Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 6 Feb. 2025
Klee and Benjamin both died in 1940: Klee, stateless, and who had scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease, drew angels in his dying days; Benjamin died by suicide after fearing capture by the Nazis at France’s border with Spain.
—Emily Labarge, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
That paper described outcomes of 15 people with lupus, scleroderma, or myositis between 4 and 29 months after CAR-T therapy.
—Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 14 Nov. 2024
The study included more than 2,200 people with the autoimmune disease scleroderma.
—John Loeppky, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Raynaud’s is often one of the first symptoms of scleroderma, and all the participants had both conditions.2
Participants were asked to rate the severity of their Raynaud’s symptoms on a ten-point scale every three months from 2014 to 2023.
—John Loeppky, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Autoimmune conditions: Certain autoimmune disorders—such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn's disease, connective tissue disorders, systemic sclerosis, and scleroderma—can affect the structure and function of the esophagus and cause odynophagia.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 13 July 2024
Patients with scleroderma and those with myositis had a reduction in symptoms during the follow-up period.
—Korin Miller, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2024
After Rita died of scleroderma in 2018, Latifah made a documentary to raise awareness of a lung disease that complicated her mother’s condition.
—Emily Lordi, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Scleroderma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scleroderma. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
scleroderma
noun
sclero·der·ma
ˌskler-ə-ˈdər-mə
plural sclerodermas also sclerodermata
-mət-ə
: a usually slowly progressive disease marked by the deposition of fibrous connective tissue in the skin and often in internal organs and structures, by hand and foot pain upon exposure to cold, and by tightening and thickening of the skin
No treatment exists to reverse scleroderma, and when it moves to the digestive system, kidneys, heart, and lungs, it is often fatal.—J. Lee Nelson, Natural History
J. Lee Nelson, Natural HistoryWhen physicians suspect scleroderma, they may use several diagnostic tests to distinguish it from other connective tissue disorders.—Peta Gillyatt, Harvard Health Letter
Peta Gillyatt, Harvard Health Lettercalled also dermatosclerosis
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