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Morphea (Localized Scleroderma)

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Scleroderma

Abstract

Morphea, also called localized scleroderma, is a sclerosing skin disorder that resembles scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) in terms of cutaneous histopathological features, but differs demographically and clinically. Hallmark clinical and serological features of scleroderma (sclerodactyly, Raynaud’s phenomenon, internal organ involvement, and scleroderma-specific antibodies) are absent in morphea. Affecting adults and children equally, morphea is characterized by single or multiple indurated cutaneous plaques that can have variable appearance depending on the subtype and activity of disease. The predominant subtypes are circumscribed or plaque-type, linear, generalized, pansclerotic, and mixed morphea. Treatment of morphea, which may include corticosteroids, methotrexate, and/or phototherapy, is aimed at shutting down inflammation in active morphea and preventing cosmetic/functional impairment that may result from unabated activity.

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Acknowledgment

The authors wish to thank Rose Ann Cannon for her support in the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75093-9069, USA

    Noelle M. Teske BA, MSc & Heidi T. Jacobe MD, MSCS

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  1. Noelle M. Teske BA, MSc
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  2. Heidi T. Jacobe MD, MSCS
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Correspondence to Noelle M. Teske BA, MSc .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    John Varga

  2. Division of Medicine, Department of Inflammation, Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Division of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom

    Christopher P. Denton

  3. Division of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Fredrick M. Wigley

  4. Service de Rhumatologie A, INSERMU1016, Universit. Paris Descartes, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France

    Yannick Allanore

  5. Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Nippon Medical School, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Masataka Kuwana

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Teske, N.M., Jacobe, H.T. (2017). Morphea (Localized Scleroderma). In: Varga, J., Denton, C., Wigley, F., Allanore, Y., Kuwana, M. (eds) Scleroderma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31407-5_8

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