Treatment of Vascular Complications in Systemic Sclerosis: What Is the Best Approach to Diagnosis and Management of Renal Crisis and Digital Ulcers?

ABSTRACT

Vasculopathy as exemplified by scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) and digital ulcers (DUs) is a cardinal feature of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is associated with significant morbidity, including in patients with early disease. Prompt recognition and management is required to alleviate potentially irreversible damage from SSc-associated vasculopathy. Both SRC and DUs share many etiopathogenic drivers which inform the therapeutic strategy. The aim of our review was to describe the diagnosis and management of SRC and DUs in SSc, and to discuss unmet needs for future research.