[The treatment of skin ulcers in systemic sclerosis: use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in 26 patients].

Objectives: To verify the effectiveness of G-CSF in the treatment of non-healing skin lesions in SSc patients.

Methods: 26 SSc patients (23 F and 3 M, age 54 +/-13,6 yrs) with skin ulcers were enrolled in a pilot study. Prior to the treatment with G-CSF, all ulcers failed to heal with conventional therapies carried out for a period of 1-5 years.