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Greetings!
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Are You a Scleroderma Foundation Member?
 We're busy working on the fall issue of "Scleroderma Voice," due in member mailboxes in mid-August. However, if you're not already a member of the Scleroderma Foundation, you will miss out on this members-only benefit.
Each quarter, Foundation members receive the magazine that includes positive patient profiles, stories from fundraising events, updates on current research, product reviews and more.
For a minimum donation of $25, you can become a Scleroderma Foundation member and receive the "Scleroderma Voice." Sign up today on our website or call us at (800) 722-HOPE (4673) to join today!
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Bosentan May Reduce Skin Fibrosis in Scleroderma Patients
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Bosentan, which has been shown to prevent digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis, also may have beneficial effects on skin fibrosis.
In a small, prospective, open-label study, treatment with the dual endothelin receptor antagonist was associated with a significant reduction in skin thickening as measured by the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), said Dr. Annegret Kuhn at the Congress of Clinical Rheumatology.
Read the rest of this story from Skin and Allergy News. Remember, all patients are different when it comes to treatments. Check with your doctor before beginning any treatment to see if it is right for you.
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Aspirin Offers No Benefits to Treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
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 Regardless of the beneficial effects of both aspirin and simvastatin (ZocorŪ) in treating heart disease, neither drug appears to offer any benefit to individuals suffering from pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), a condition that accounts for more than 1,000 new cases each year.
PAH is a progressive disorder characterized by abnormally high blood pressure (hypertension) in the pulmonary artery, the blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.
Although both aspirin and simvastatin are equally efficient in treating myriad types of cardiovascular diseases, these drugs have yet to be well studied in the treatment of PAH. The study was ultimately intended to decide if the drugs could be effectual in the treatment of patients with PAH.
Find out more about these findings from the American Thoracic Society's 2011 International Conference.
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Expert Recommendations for Scleroderma Management
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 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/Eular Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) has made recommendations that were relatively well accepted among systemic sclerosis (SSc) experts.
Overall reduced agreement may be due to the modest efficacy of some agents (such as methotrexate for the skin). Some regional disagreement is likely because of access differences.
Read more about these survey results.
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7 Tips for Male Caregivers
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 Men account for almost 40 percent of the caregiver population. In order for male caregivers to properly care for their loved ones, they must remember to care for themselves.
Here are seven emotional and physical tips for male caregivers:
- Participate in a support group.
- Vary the caregiving responsibilities amongst family members or friends.
- Exercise on the average of three times per week and maintain a healthy diet.
Read the rest of the list from Today's Caregiver.
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