EVALUATION OF THE RESULTS OF TREATMENT OF SYSTEMIC SCLERODERMA

Abstract

Objective: To analyze changes in the clinical and biochemical picture of patients with systemic sclerosis during treatment with methotrexate, betamethasone, and pentoxifylline. Material and methods: When analyzing systemic sclerosis, we used the classification criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. All patients had a chronic form of the disease; ultrasound, CT, radiogra phy, ECG, and laboratory data (ESR, CRP, total protein, and antinuclear factor) were used to monitor the pa tients’ condition. Results: All patients were prescribed different combinations of drugs depending on the form and degree of involvement of different organs. However, the main drugs were glucocorticosteroids (prednisolone, betamethasone), which promote an increase in the phago cytic activity of macrophages to apoptotic cells and pro vide a positive effect almost immediately after the start of treatment. Cytotoxic drugs (tetotrexate) help reduce the level of proinflammatory and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines, and most importantly, inhibit synthesis, repara tion and cellular mitosis, thereby causing antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects. Vasodilators (nifedipine, bosentan, pentoxifylline) reduce the frequency and sever ity of Raynaud’s syndrome attacks, improve microcircu lation and trophism of tissues and organs. Conclusions: Glucocorticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs and vasodilators can slow the progression of systemic scleroderma.