incidence and aetiology

Last reviewed 05/2021

  • systemic sclerosis is uncommon rather than rare. Estimates of disease frequency suggest that approximately 1 in 10000 individuals are affected
    • includes all subsets of the disease, and approximately one-fifth of cases demonstrate overlap features
  • more common in females (M:F=1:4)
  • aetiology unknown - there may be a HLA related susceptibility to the disease

Reference:

  • 1) Arthritis Research Campaign (2010). Topical Reviews - Systemic sclerosis and related disorders.