Systemic sclerosis triggered by bleomycin: a 5-year follow-up

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterised by vasculopathy, fibrosis, and immune dysregulation. Indirect HEp-2 immunofluorescence (HEp-2 IIF) test is positive in 95% of patients, showing characteristic SSc patterns and corresponding disease-specific autoantibodies. Exposure to exogenous agents, including drugs such as nivolumab or bleomycin, chemicals like vinyl chloride, or toxins such as silicone and those associated with toxic oil syndrome, can trigger SSc-like features — or pseudoscleroderma [1].