Eosinophilic Fasciitis Difficult to Differentiate from Scleroderma: A Case Report

Overview

Journal World J Clin Cases

Publisher Baishideng Publishing Group

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 May 22

PMID 37215414

Authors

Tian-Yi Lan

Zi-Han Wang

Wei-Ping Kong

Jin-Ping Wang

Nan Zhang

Di-Er Jin

Jing Luo

Qing-Wen Tao

Ze-Ran Yan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare connective tissue disease that can cause swelling and sclerosis of the extremities, and special attention is needed to differentiate EF from systemic sclerosis. Misdiagnosis or omission markedly delays treatment of EF, and severe skin sclerosis in advanced stages can cause joint contracture and tendon retraction, worsening the patient's prognosis and quality of life.

Case Summary: We report a case of EF in a young woman diagnosed by tissue biopsy, confirming the difficulty of differential diagnosis with scleroderma.

Conclusion: Focusing on skin manifestations, completing tissue biopsy and radiography can help diagnose EF effectively. Clinicians should enhance their understanding of the differences between EF and scleroderma, and early diagnosis and standardized treatment can improve the prognosis of patients with EF.

Citing Articles

Characteristics and factors associated with treatment response among patients with eosinophilic fasciitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hamdan O, Alshajrawi R, Mussa Q, Alajlouni Y, Dabbah Y, Fratekh R Rheumatol Int. 2025; 45(4):71.

PMID: 40072585 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-025-05826-2.

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