0000000000599150
AUTHOR
Giuseppe Ronsivalle
Aortic root dilation in associated with the reduction in capillary density observed at nailfold capillaroscopy in SSc patients
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and fibroblasts activation. Microvascular disease may be easily observed by means of nailfold capillaroscopy. Recent evidences emphasized also the involvement of large-medium arteries in SSc, mainly in terms of increased stiffness of the vessel wall. The study aims to measure aortic root diameter in a cohort of SSc patients and to correlate echocardiographic findings with the capillaroscopic pictures. We analyzed the clinical records of 125 consecutive SSc patients (M/F 14/111, mean age 55 ± 12.7 years, median disease duration 11 years) referring in 3 second-level rheumatology centers. All subjects un…
Heart Valve Abnormalities in Systemic Sclerosis Patients; A Multicenter Cohort Study and Review of the Literature
Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by vasculopathy and fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs. Heart valve diseases are poorly described and generally not considered typical of SSc. We aimed to describe valvular abnormalities in a multicenter cohort of SSc patients and to investigate their correlation with SSc features. Methods We recruited 118 consecutive SSc patients (male/female, 14/104; mean age, 55.2 ± 12.1 years) in 3 rheumatology centers in Sicily, Italy, from January to October 2019. Results Mitral and tricuspid valve insufficiency was found in 85% and 91% of patients, respectively; regurgitations were generally mild and never…