Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
Digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis are strongly associated with digital arterial disease: a finger-by-finger analysis of finger brachial pressure index measurements
Authors' conclusion
These results confirm the importance of digital arterial disease in the pathogenesis of DU of SSc, which is independent from the microangiopathy.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with SSc in five of the nine SCLEROCAP centres; Finger brachial pressure index (FBPI) in the last four fingers of both hands at baseline2,537 fingers
- Participants
- 326 patients
- Exposure
- Fingers with vs without digital ulcers (DU) or scars
- Outcome
- Association between FBPI and presence of DU or scars, before and after adjusting for capillaroscopic pattern and systemic factors
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Methodological detailsmulticentre, observational, finger-by-finger analysis, ancillary to the SCLEROCAP study, same laser-Doppler device in all centres
- Multicentre
- Observational
- Finger-by-finger analysis
- Ancillary to the SCLEROCAP study
- Same laser-Doppler device in all centres
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
FBPI lower than 0.70
Fingers with DU or scars
57.5%
- FBPI lower than 0.70 in all fingers
- 26%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of active ulcers or scars
- Active ulcers or scars in fingers (more often on the right hand, and in the second and third fingers)
- 10.8%
Original publication
Digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis are strongly associated with digital arterial disease: a finger-by-finger analysis of finger brachial pressure index measurements. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 1 October 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →