Juvenile Systemic Sclerosis Complicated by Interstitial Lung Disease and Myositis: A Case Report

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by fibrosis, vascular alterations, and organ dysfunction. Juvenile systemic sclerosis (jSSc), an infrequent form of the disease, primarily affects children, with an incidence of 0.27 to 1 per million. This report details the case of a 10-year-old male patient diagnosed with jSSc complicated by interstitial lung disease (ILD) and myositis. The patient initially presented with characteristic signs of skin thickening and Raynaud's phenomenon, which later advanced to the emergence of ILD and myositis. The case emphasizes the importance of vigilant screening for ILD in jSSc patients, given the severity and associated increased mortality of the complication, and improves our understanding of the underlying clinical features of this disease. It also calls attention to the challenges of managing the disease effectively and necessitates further research to improve treatment outcomes for such patients.