Clinical and laboratory features dependent on age at onset in Japanese systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To clarify those clinical characteristics dependent on patient age at onset of Japanese systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: A total of 329 SSc patients treated at Kanazawa University Hospital were enrolled in the study and subsequently categorized into four subgroups depending on age at SSc onset: childhood-onset, young-onset, normal age-onset, and late-onset. The clinical features at the first visit were compared between groups.