A syndrome resembling progressive systemic sclerosis after bone marrow transplantation. A model for scleroderma?

Six long term survivors of bone marrow transplants developed a syndrome similar to progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). Cutaneous involvement (6/6), pulmonary disease (6/6), musculoskeletal involvement (4/6), keratoconjunctivitis/positive Schirmer's test (4/6), Raynaud's phenomenon (2/6), and renal and cardiac disease (1/6) were similar to findings in PSS patients. T and B lymphocyte counts and functions were also similar. This PSS-like syndrome, including visceral involvement, after bone marrow transplantation lends support to an immunologic hypothesis of the pathogenesis of progressive systemic sclerosis.