According to the National Institutes of Health, men are more likely to develop gout than women, and men aged 40 to 50 are most commonly affected. Women rarely develop gout before menopause. See Arthritis treatment options Scleroderma Scleroderma or schleroderma is a connective tissue disease that causes thickening, hardening, or tightening of the skin, blood vessels and internal organs. The Scleroderma Foundation says it is also known as systemic sclerosis, that it affects over 300,000 people in the U.S., and that women are four times more likely to develop it than men. Scleroderma is a chronic disease, which occurs because the body produces too much of a protein called collagen.
Excess collagen is deposited causing thickening and hardening.
In localized scleroderma, the skin develops either hard, oval patches or lines or streaks. According to the Scleroderma Foundation, this type is more common in children. In generalized scleroderma, the thickening and hardening affect connective tissue throughout the body, including the skin, the esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, kidneys, heart and other internal organs. It may also affect blood vessels, muscles and joints. Lupus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic form of arthritis in which inflammation affects joints, muscles and other parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, skin, joints, kidneys, and nervous system.