Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
Changes of cerebral structure and perfusion in subtypes of systemic sclerosis: a brain magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors' conclusion
The manifestations of brain involvement vary among different subtypes of SSc. In addition, severe skin sclerosis may indicate higher risk of brain involvement in SSc patients.
Study context
- Population
- SSc patients (46.0 ± 11.7 years, 62 females) and healthy volunteers70 SSc, 30 healthy
- Exposure
- dcSSc vs lcSSc vs healthy volunteers
- Healthy volunteersn = 30reference
- Outcome
- Cerebral structure (GM volume) and perfusion (CBF) changes on MRI across SSc subtypes
Methodological detailsbrain MRI, voxel-based morphometry, arterial spin labelling, one-way ANOVA
- Brain MRI
- Voxel-based morphometry
- Arterial spin labelling
- One-way ANOVA
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- dcSSc: significant reduction in gray matter (GM) volume in para-hippocampal region vs healthy volunteers (FWE corrected)
- cluster P < 0.01
- SSc, particularly lcSSc: elevated cerebral blood flow (CBF) in cerebellum, insula, cerebral cortex and subcortical structures, regional analyses
- all P < 0.05
- SSc, particularly lcSSc: elevated CBF, voxel-based analyses (FWE corrected)
- cluster P < 0.01
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Correlations of clinical characteristics with CBF in some regions
- Modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), r value range
- −0.29 to −0.45
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, r
- 0.40
- Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) positivity, r
- −0.33
- All P < 0.05
Original publication
Changes of cerebral structure and perfusion in subtypes of systemic sclerosis: a brain magnetic resonance imaging study. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 5 August 2024. doi:10.
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