RESUMO
To examine the clinical and laboratory features in the patients of systemic sclerosis coming to a tertiary care hospital in islamabad, pakistan. Observational cross-sectional study. Study was conducted at the department of rheumatology in pakistan institute of medical science between May 2012 and April 2013. Both male [n=5] and female [n=40] patientsof systemic sclerosis [SSc] who presented in the rheumatology outpatient department [OPD] were recruited in the study with informed consent. All the patients enrolled in the study fulfilled the american college of rheumatology [ACR] criteria for diagnosis of SSC. The mean age of the patients was 35.77 +/- 13.10 years. Out of 45 patients, 28 [62%] had limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis[LcSS] and 17 [38%] had diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis [DcSS]. Mean duration of disease was found to be 4.72 +/- 4.78 years. Anti-nuclear antibody [ANA] positivity was seen in 80% of the patients. The most common clinical feature of the disease was raynaud's phenomenon [100%] followed by microstomia [98%], sclerodactyly [91%], digital pitting [89%], digital ulcers [82%] and arthralgias [73%]. Among the constitutional symptoms fatigue was the most common one reported by 93% of the patients. Clinical features of systemic sclerosis examined in this cohort of patients were found to be consistent with the findings from other asian countries