Genetic links to systemic sclerosis may differ by sex, new study finds

​Findings may help explain why SSc affects women and men differently
Written by Patricia Inácio, PhD | April 28, 2026

Some genetic factors linked to systemic sclerosis (SSc), also called scleroderma, may influence disease susceptibility differently in women and men, according to a new study.

Researchers say these findings may help explain why the disease is much more common in women, but often more severe in men. They also represent an early step toward precision medicine approaches that take these sex differences in SSc into account.

Overall, these findings “highlight the need for sex‑aware analytical approaches to uncover disease mechanisms that may be overlooked when both sexes are analysed together,” the researchers wrote.
​
The study, “Sex-specific autosomal susceptibility loci in systemic sclerosis: a genome-wide association study,” was published in The Lancet Rheumatology.

Read More