[Scleroderma and scleroderma-like diseases caused by environmental pollutants]

For the stimulation of research on scleroderma and the prophylaxis of occupational scleroderma-like diseases and the prevention of iatrogenic injuries, respect., it is important to know the inducing environmental substances. Plastics (vinyl chloride, epoxy resins), solvents (chlorinated, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons), drugs (bleomycin, pentazocine), cocaine (abuse) and contaminated rapeseed oil are more or less able to induce scleroderma-like diseases. Vinyl chloride disease is the best known among these. The toxic oil syndrome represents the most inglorious example of the recent time. Paraffin and silicon can act as adjuvants and induce a progressive systemic sclerosis. In our studies it could be shown, that silica is able to induce not only a silicosis, but also a true progressive systemic sclerosis after long term exposure. Acknowledgment of such cases as an occupational disease is justified and regulated by law in the German Democratic Republic.