The prognosis of systemic sclerosis

Eighty-four patients with systemic sclerosis have been investigated and observed at intervals for up to 15 years. The prognosis is worse in males than in females although in any individual case the clinical course is unpredictable. Those patients with the combination of calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomehon, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia have the same degree of systemic involvement and the same prognosis as other patients with systemic sclerosis, and the term ‘CRST syndrome’ should be abandoned.