A radical proposal for the pathogenesis of scleroderma.

Because the etiology and pathogenesis of scleroderma are largely speculative, effective therapy is not available for this debilitating condition and its variants. This article reviews current concepts in the etiology and pathogenesis of scleroderma and suggests a unifying hypothesis involving the generation of free radicals. The role of specific free radical scavengers should be tested both in vitro and in clinical trials of patients with scleroderma.