Patients and clinical assessment
We enrolled 72 SSc patients [F=63, median age 55 years (IQR
46-65)], fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology/European
League Against Rheumatism Collaborative Criteria for SSc [11].
According to Le Roy et al, 33 out of 72 Thirty-three (45.8%) showed
diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) and 39 out of 72 (54.2%) limited
cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) [12]. Demographic and clinical features of
SSc patients are shown in Table 1. We also enrolled in the study 30 HC
matched for sex and age were. Exclusion criteria were renal failure,
monoclonal gammopathies and hematological malignancies,
immunosuppressive therapy in the last six months, pregnancy, and
breastfeeding.
Informed written consent was obtained from all the participants and
the study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki.
Demographic and clinical features were recorded. Disease subset
[12], disease duration, nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) pattern
(early, active, late) [13], disease activity index (DAI) [14],
disease severity scale (DSS) [15] and modified Rodnan skin score
(mRSS) [16] were evaluated.
In the evaluation of SSc, DAI consists of variables among which skin
thickening, digital ulcers, impaired single breath carbon monoxide
diffusing capacity, tendon friction rubs and C-reactive protein (CRP)
while DSS measures disease severity in organ systems from general health
to specific organ involvement.
Renal function was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease
Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation to estimate glomerular
filtration rate (eGFR) and serum creatinine was measured [17].
Moreover, all patients had an eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73m2.