Interstitial lung disease of systemic sclerosis.

Fibrosis of the pulmonary parenchyma is a frequent and serious complication of scleroderma (systemic sclerosis, SSc), resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. During the past decade data have accumulated in support of an inflammatory process affecting the alveoli and distal airways that culminates in irreversible fibrosis in many SSc patients. Recent findings indicate the presence of lung fibroblasts with altered phenotype and biologic activity (myofibroblasts), perhaps arising from the influence of cytokines on resident lung fibroblasts. Acute-phase inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 alpha, TNF-alpha, MIP-1 alpha, IL-8 and RANTES are increased in SSc bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, as is thrombin, a potent mitogen for lung fibroblasts. Chronic-phase inflammatory and fibrogenic cytokines such as PDGF and TGF-beta are also present in increased amounts in SSc BAL fluid. The inciting event(s) and the process(es) leading to the perpetuation of fibrosis in SSc are unknown. Treatment of SSc lung disease has been empiric and generally disappointing, and it is likely that effective treatment awaits a better understanding of the biological events that regulate collagen and other extracellular matrix synthesis.