“My hands turned white”... I thought it was because of the cold, but a man in his 60s has limited time left. What disease is it?

A man diagnosed with a rare disease called systemic sclerosis after his fingers turned white was given two years to live, but is still alive.

 

Scott Nell (47) experienced symptoms such as his fingers turning white in the cold, extreme fatigue, and difficulty breathing. He later visited a hospital, where calcium deposits were found on his fingertips and he was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis, a condition that causes the skin, blood vessels, and internal organs to thicken or harden. [Photo = British media outlet The Sun]

The story of a British man in his 40s who suffered from symptoms such as his fingers turning white in the cold has been revealed and was given only two years to live.

 

According to a recent report in the British media outlet The Sun, Scott Nell (47) was spending time outside on a snowy day in November 2017. His fingers felt cold and achy, so he checked them. When he took off his gloves, they had turned white. "My hands were suddenly unbearably cold," he said. "When I took them off, they were as white as paper."

 

Afterwards, Scott began to feel extremely fatigued. One morning, he woke up unable to straighten his arms or legs for several minutes. He also had difficulty breathing, and leaning to one side felt like his airway was closing.

 

Scott, who felt he had health problems, visited a hospital in March 2018 and was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (SSC). Tests revealed the presence of SCL70, an antibody found in about 20% of SSC patients. Scott's fingertips were found to have calcium deposits. He was also diagnosed with another related condition, Raynaud's disease, which causes the blood vessels in the extremities of the body, such as the hands, feet, fingers, and toes, to become hypersensitive to temperature changes or stress. "The skin on my fingers was so hard I couldn't grip anything," he said.

 

A lung X-ray was performed to determine if systemic sclerosis could affect other organs. Fortunately, no problems were found. However, as the disease progressed, complications arose in 2022, damaging organs such as the lungs. Ultimately, Scott was given only two years to live.

In addition to skin symptoms, organ damage can occur...there is no cure.

 

In addition, symptoms include arthritis, muscle weakness, and dry mouth and eyes. Organ damage can also occur. As heart, lung, and kidney function declines, pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension can occur. As the disease progresses, inflammation and tissue damage can lead to calcium deposits.

 

There is currently no cure for systemic sclerosis. As described above, various medications are required to manage symptoms. Because the course of the disease varies depending on the symptoms, regular examinations are performed not only on the skin but also on the lungs, heart, and other areas.

 

Systemic sclerosis is classified as a rare disease in Korea. The number of patients was approximately 3,900 in 2017, but this number is increasing to approximately 4,200 in 2018 and approximately 4,700 in 2019. If you experience any suspicious symptoms, you should consult a rheumatologist or other specialist for a thorough examination.

 

Jihye Choi jhchoi@kormedi.com

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