Child-onset systemic sclerosis positive for anticentromere antibodies: Two Japanese cases

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an uncommon connective tissue disease of childhood. Moreover, pediatric SSc positive for anticentromere antibodies (ACA) is extremely rare. We describe two cases of ACA-positive SSc in Japanese girls with clinical findings. Case 1 is a 15-year-old female. From disease onset at 7 years, she developed limited cutaneous (no internal involvement) SSc positive for ACA and anti-U1RNP antibodies, but negative for antitopoisomerase I antibodies (ATA). She also showed calcinosis, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia, but not Raynaud's phenomenon. Case 2 is also a 15-year-old female with onset at the same age. Her diagnosis was limited cutaneous SSc positive for ACA, anti-SSA/Ro antibodies, and anti-thyroid antibodies, but not ATA. She showed sclerodactyly, telangiectasia, and Raynaud phenomenon, as well as complicated Sjögren's syndrome and chronic thyroiditis with euthyroidism. We reported that two Japanese girls with SSc were positive for ACA and other antibodies with the exception of ATA. © 2012 The Authors.