systemic sclerosis
(sis-TEH-mik skleh-ROH-sis)
A disease that is marked by hardening and thickening of skin, connective tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs, and blood vessels. Also called systemic scleroderma.
The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.