What should clinicians know about the use of glucocorticoids in systemic sclerosis?

Abstract

Glucocorticoids (GC) are drugs largely used by rheumatologists, but their utilization in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is still controversial for both the lack of evidence of their usefulness and the physicians and patients’ concern about their related adverse events. Due to the rarity and the complexity of the disease, few studies investigating the role of GC in SSc have been performed. Thus, a huge variability in corticosteroid prescriptive practice among physicians involved in the care of SSc patients still exists worldwide. This paper aims to review the most recent knowledge on the topic to give clinicians additional landmarks to those provided by the recent published updated recommendations for the management of SSc.

Keywords:

• Connective tissue disease
• corticosteroids
• systemic sclerosis

Conflict of interest

None.