Use of Relaxin in the Treatment of Scleroderma

No consistently successful therapy has been reported for scleroderma, a chronic disease of unknown cause associated with remissions and relapses. Relaxin therapy has been found to influence to a significant degree certain distressing features of scleroderma and therein represents a therapeutic advance. The degree of improvement noted varied considerably, but several patients were sufficiently benefited to enable return to gainful occupation. Relief of vasospasm, healing of trophic ulceration, and increase in skin elasticity were the most striking results. Other manifestations of the disease were not materially improved by relaxin treatment.