Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
Clinical and serological features of systemic sclerosis patients, according to different geographic areas: insights from an observational, cross-sectional study of two independent cohorts
Authors' conclusion
Clinical differences may be shown between Italian and Egyptian SSc patients.
Study context
- Population
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients fulfilling ACR/EULAR 2013 classification criteria and criteria proposed by LeRoy and Medsger, recruited in 2017 at 3 Italian and 5 Egyptian centrestwo independent cohorts
- Participants
- 197 vs 261
- Exposure
- Egyptian vs Italian SSc patients
- Egyptiansn = 197
- Italiansn = 261reference
- Outcome
- Clinical and serological features and treatments, by geographic area
Methodological detailsobservational, two independent cohorts, multicentre
- Observational
- Two independent cohorts
- Multicentre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Clinical and serological features and treatments
- Egyptians were younger, had earlier onset of first non-Raynaud's and of RP, and a more severe modified skin score
- Greater percentage of Egyptians had active disease, pulmonary arterial pressure estimated by echocardiography >35mmHg and ILD
- Severity score higher in Egyptians
- Frequency of anti-topoisomerase I (ATA) higher in Italians; Egyptians more likely negative for both anticentromere and ATA antibodies
- Egyptians had higher rates of synthetic DMARD use; Italians but not Egyptians under vasoactive therapy
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Limited form of the disease (subgroup)
- Egyptians with limited form had a more severe clinical course than matched Italian counterparts: higher modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), more frequent pulmonary involvement, more ischaemic digital ulcers, earlier symptom onset, higher severity scores
Original publication
Clinical and serological features of systemic sclerosis patients, according to different geographic areas: insights from an observational, cross-sectional study of two independent cohorts. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 15 February 2025. doi:10.
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