Coexistence of morphea and systemic sclerosis

While the association of morphea and systemic sclerosis (SSc) is considered to be a rare condition, we observed well-demarcated sclerotic skin changes indistinguishable from morphea in 9 of 135 SSc patients who visited our clinic during the last decade. We consider this rate of incidence (6.7%) to be high enough to consider morphea to be one of the skin involvements of SSc. There was a significantly (p < 0.01) higher incidence of morphea in males (3 of 5) than in females (6 of 130). Only 3 of 111 SSc patients positive for antinuclear antibody (ANA) also showed morphea, whereas 6 of 9 patients negative for ANA showed morphea (p < 0.01). Although the mechanism underlying the development of morphea in SSc patients remains unknown, our observations suggest a heterogeneous pathogenesis related to SSc gender and ANA type.