Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
Mapping in healthy subjects different body areas for dermal thickness and skin hardness by high frequency ultrasound and durometry
Authors' conclusion
Key findings indicate lower dermal thickness in the upper arms, legs, and feet, and higher skin hardness in peripheral areas like fingers, compared to truncal regions.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy volunteers from Ghent and Genova University Hospitals, rheumatologic diseases excluded; dermal status assessed by high frequency ultrasound (HFUS) and durometry in modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) areasmean ages 31.2, 35.5, and 64.9 years
- Participants
- 152 volunteers
- Outcome
- Normal values of dermal thickness (HFUS) and skin hardness (durometry) across mRSS body areas
Methodological detailspilot study, multicentre (Ghent and Genova), exploratory analyses
- Pilot study
- Multicentre (Ghent and Genova)
- Exploratory analyses
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Upper and lower arms: significantly higher durometry values and lower dermal thickness vs trunk regions (all p<0.05)
- Hardest skin on the finger
- Thickest dermis at abdomen and thighs
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Dermal thickness by sex
- Higher in men in multiple areas in the three cohorts, modest effect sizes (r coefficients 0.02 to 0.6)
Topographical distribution by centre
- Significant inter-group differences in dermal thickness, but similar topographical distributions in both centres
Original publication
Mapping in healthy subjects different body areas for dermal thickness and skin hardness by high frequency ultrasound and durometry. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 5 June 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →