Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * More than 18 years old * Documented diagnostic of scleroderma (systemic or cutaneous) * Severe cutaneous sclerodermia or systemic sclerodermia with m-Rodnan score \> 20/51 * Ejection fraction of more than 45 per cent at cardiac ultrasound pre-inclusion study * Woman with efficient contraceptive method during trail treatment and during 3 month after the end of trial treatment * All female patients with reproductive potential must have a negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) within the 7 days prior to enrolment * Affiliated or profit patient of a social security system * Signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * new systemic treatment, potentially interfering with disease progression, beginning 3 months prior the start trial treatment * Patient with isolated cutaneous scleroderma treated with a drug potentially interfering with the course of the disease 4 weeks before starting the trial (Systemic corticosteroids, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, bosentan) * Scleroderma " en coup de sabre " * Severe organ failure or anomaly of blood chemistry/hematology (bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, creatinine \> 1,5 ´ upper normal limit, polymorphonuclear granulocytes less than 1\*10\*9/l or platelets less than 50\*10\*9/l), * Ongoing cancer * Ejection fraction ≤ 45 per cent at cardiac ultrasound pre inclusion study * myocardial infarction of less than 6 mois at pre inclusion visit * Non controlled chronic illness (diabetes, chronic kidney failure, chronic hepatitis, HIV infection), * Major surgery less than two weeks before inclusion * Pregnancy or lactation * Absence of validated contraception in childbearing women. * Contraindication to imatinib mesylate treatment as specified in product specifications * Non observance anticipated and absence of informed consent