[The sclerodermatous group of diseases]

The paper is concerned with the author's considerations on a sclerodermic group of diseases including a wide spectrum of diseases with systemic or local "primary" fibrosis on the basis of the results of her own investigations and the literature data. Multifactorial genesis of diseases, cellular mechanisms and the interrelationship of fibrosis with immune and microcirculatory disturbances are discussed with regard to sclerodermia systematic. Recently defined, hitherto unknown diseases and syndromes were described: diffuse eosinophilic fasciitis, the paraneoplastic sclerodermic syndrome "induced" sclerodermia, local fibroses. An analysis of the sclerodermic group of diseases and the chief mechanisms of their development is important for improved diagnosis and development of effective programs of pathogenetic therapy, prevention and mass screening.