Although the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis is poorly understood, an in
creasing number of high quality clinical research trials are attempting to
modify the overall disease outcome. Survival has improved, largely through
therapies focused on single organs. Candidate outcome measures have been te
sted and a consensus template for trial design has evolved. The complexity
of process in systemic sclerosis renders unlikely that an agent of focused
mechanism of therapeutic effect will alter all cardinal features of illness
. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2001, 13:512-515 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilki
ns, Inc.