In vivo study of scleroderma by non-invasive techniques.

Sixteen patients with localized scleroderma (LS) and 11 with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) were studied using non-invasive techniques to determine skin thickness, skin extensibility, transcutaneous PO2 and cutaneous blood flow and were compared with normal controls. LS was characterized by a decreased skin extensibility with thickening of the skin in progressive lesions. There was an increase in the cutaneous microcirculation with a decrease in the PO2.