Clinical Cohort Study of Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease primarily characterized by fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. In 2018, SSc was included in China's "First Batch of Rare Disease Catalog." Compared with the well-established large-scale SSc clinical cohorts in Europe, China's SSc cohort research is still in its infancy. Limited by the small number of SSc patients, complex and diverse clinical manifestations, uneven regional diagnostic and treatment capabilities, and dispersed research resources, there is currently a lack of in-depth research on the pathogenesis, disease characteristics, early intervention, precision treatment, and prognosis evaluation of SSc. Based on the preliminary research of the research group, this project will leverage the advantageous platforms of our hospital and SSc patient public welfare organizations to establish a scleroderma trial and research cohort, conduct clinical analysis, and screen for novel biological markers and drug targets, carry out large-scale epidemiological investigations, and cultivate specialized personnel, establish and improve China's SSc chronic disease management system, achieve balanced and equitable SSc diagnosis and treatment resources in China, and benefit the vast number of patients.