Clinical and experimental rheumatology最新文献

{"title":"Primary versus systemic sclerosis-associated Raynaud's phenomenon: relationship with clinical and environmental factors.","authors":"Elvira Favoino, Marcella Prete, Vasiliki Liakouli, Adriana Sisto, Ada Corrado, Patrizia Leone, Giuseppe Lisco, Marta Vomero, Edoardo Biancalana, Emanuele Chiara, Giacomo Emmi, Vito Racanelli, Antonella Marcoccia, Rosa Daniela Grembiale, Francesco Paolo Cantatore, Luca Navarini, Piero Ruscitti, Francesco Ciccia, Roberto Giacomelli, Federico Perosa","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/m7qpn3","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/m7qpn3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) can be induced by stress and environmental factors, occurring as a primary disease (pRP) or associated with connective tissue disease. RP is seen in more than 95% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and may precede its diagnosis by several years. Accordingly, there is a clear need to identify those patients with RP who will eventually develop connective tissue disease, including SSc. The aim of this case-control study was to assess the association of SSc-RP versus pRP with respect to environmental factors, lifestyle habits, and clinical setting.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A questionnaire was used to collect current data from 180 patients with SSc-RP and 103 with pRP. Statistical analyses were performed to identify possible risk factors for SSc-RP.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SSc-RP was found to be inversely associated with living in urban area (OR=0.37; p<0.001), computer use (OR=0.38, p<0.001), contraceptive use (OR=0.32; p=0.017), habitual alcohol use (OR=0.35; p=0.029), and hepatitis B virus vaccine (OR=0.09; p=0.011),while it was directly associated to cold sensitivity (OR=3.48; p=0.001), lower quality of life (OR=2.69; p<0.001), finger pain (OR=3.03; p<0.001) and autoimmune hypothyroidism (OR=3.62; p=0.007). All associations were supported by either multivariate and/or multivariable analyses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study revealed differences in lifestyle and preventive health behaviours between SSc-RP and pRP, and also suggests that patients with pRP and autoimmune hypothyroidism should be strictly monitored for any clinical changes that may indicate SSc onset. Further investigations are needed to prospectively evaluate autoimmune hypothyroidism as a predisposing condition for SSc-RP.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1380-1385"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143779101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hopelessness is associated to severity of both digital vasculopathy and lung disease in systemic sclerosis patients: a prospective one-year study.","authors":"Pietro Bearzi, Luca Navarini, Luigi Capra Mattioli, Gioele Bindi, Marco Minerba, Chiara Salvolini, Antonio Orlando, Giulia Lanaia, Marta Vizzini, Teresa Cocchiaro, Marta Vomero, Onorina Berardicurti, Damiano Currado, Vasiliki Liakouli, Antonella Marcoccia, Roberto Giacomelli","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/cp6fec","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55563/clinexprheumatol/cp6fec","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune fibrosing disease with multi-organ involvement, significantly impacting quality of life. This study assessed the burden of hopelessness and its clinical and psychosocial correlates in SSc patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>76 SSc patients were followed prospectively over one year. Clinical assessments included Medsger Severity Score (MSS), disease activity (revised EUSTAR Activity Index), modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), and digital ulcer (DU) presence and severity (DUCAS), Hand disability (HAMIS), Raynaud diary, and Raynaud's Condition Score (RCS). Psychosocial measures included the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F), and Body Image Scale (BIS). Patients were stratified by BHS into mild (≤8) and moderate/severe (>8) hopelessness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SSc patients had significantly higher BHS scores than controls (p<0.001). Moderate/severe hopelessness was linked to more severe disease (MSS: BHS>8 = 6 [4-10] vs. ≤8 = 3 [2-5], p=0.008) and worse MSS lung scores over time (p<0.05). BHS>8 was also associated with poorer HAMIS, RCS, and ADL function. Multivariate analysis showed significant associations between hopelessness and MSS lung scores (Coeff = 0.490, CI [0.030-0.957], p=0.037), RCS (Coeff = 0.180, CI [0.029-0.329], p=0.019), and BIS (Coeff = 0.229, CI [0.165-0.292], p<0.001). In SSc patients with active DU, hopelessness correlated with DUCAS (Coeff =0.636, CI [0.033-1.239], p=0.039).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Hopelessness is common in SSc and linked to lung severity and digital vasculopathy, highlighting the importance of targeting hand function and pulmonary disease to improve psycho-social wellbeing.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":"43 8","pages":"1508-1515"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144774700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels are associated with skin thickness and metabolic syndrome features in patients with systemic sclerosis.","authors":"Iván Ferraz-Amaro, Santos Castañeda, Zena Ibrahim-Achi, Antonia de Vera-González, Mónica Renuncio-García, Esther F Vicente-Rabaneda, J Gonzalo Ocejo-Vinyals, Miguel Ángel González-Gay","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/lad3qd","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/lad3qd","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic multisystem disease characterised by microcirculatory vascular dysfunction and progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a protein primarily secreted by immune cells and is known to be elevated in inflammatory states. Our study aims to investigate whether serum NGAL levels differ between individuals with SSc and healthy controls, and to explore its relationship with a comprehensive characterisation of disease features in SSc patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted that included 81 individuals with SSc and 76 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. A multivariable analysis using linear regression was performed to determine whether NGAL serum levels differ between patients and controls, and to examine the relationship between NGAL levels and disease characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Serum levels of NGAL do not differ significantly between patients and controls (188±110 vs. 197±147 ng/ml, p=0.67). However, after multivariable analysis, extension of the skin involvement (beta coefficient 5 [95% confidence interval 0.5-10] ng/ml, p=0.030) and disease duration (beta coefficient 6 [95% CI 0.1-12] ng/ml, p=0.045) were significantly associated with higher NGAL levels. Additionally, in patients with SSc, NGAL levels were independently and significantly related to a dyslipidaemia pattern manifested by higher serum levels of several lipid profile markers, such as LDL: HDL cholesterol ratio, apolipoprotein B: apolipoprotein A1 ratio, and atherogenic index. Furthermore, a significant and negative association between NGAL and the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Sensitivity (HOMA2-S%) was found.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>NGAL serum levels in patients with SSc correlate positively and independently with extension of the skin involvement. NGAL levels also correlate with features of metabolic syndrome, such as a dyslipidaemic pattern and reduced insulin sensitivity, which may be associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in patients with SSc.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1391-1397"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143647474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk factors of cognitive function impairment in patients with systemic sclerosis.","authors":"Luca Krampek, Franciska Kiss, Nelli Farkas, Réka Faludi, Gabriella Nagy, Attila Szabó, László Czirják, Cecília Varjú","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/isx6h8","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/isx6h8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterised by generalised vasculopathy and multi-organ fibrosis. Cognitive impairment may develop among SSc patients, affecting attention, memory and solving complicated tasks. Previous studies have identified microvascular abnormalities in the brain; however, no complex investigation has clarified these cognitive symptoms. This study examined the associations between cognitive functions and detailed clinical parameters regarding SSc.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>One hundred and sixty patients with SSc and 62 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were studied and followed up for a span of twelve months. Clinical data and results of neuropsychological tests were analysed, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Digit Span Forward-Backward, Trail Making A, B and Digit Symbol tests at baseline and one-year follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the early stages of the disease, there was no cognitive impairment, even in severe patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc. Based on linear regression models, the cognitive scores were independently influenced by patients' age, degree of education, pain intensity, employment status, presence of hypertension, level of haemoglobin, in addition cardiac function and muscle strength. One-year follow-up results in changes in the six-minute walk distance (6MWT) correlated with changes in the results of MMSE (p=0.002, rho=0.259).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In addition to age, level of education, employment, presence of chronic hypertension and pain, which are well-known factors affecting cognitive abilities in general population, we have highlighted the role of cardiovascular function, the diastolic dysfunction, the level of haemoglobin and decreased muscle strength in SSc individuals. These cardiovascular function and muscle condition can be characterised by the 6MWT.</p><p><strong>Clinical trials: </strong>gov ID: NCT06029335.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":"43 8","pages":"1481-1491"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144774702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Severe lung damage in anti-RNPC-3 antibody-positive patients: expanding the spectrum beyond systemic sclerosis.","authors":"Yasuhiko Yamano, Yoshinao Muro, Haruka Koizumi, Masashi Akiyama, Tomoki Kimura, Yasuhiro Kondoh","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/5o45p1","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/5o45p1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1527-1528"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143188470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thymic stromal lymphopoietin in systemic sclerosis interstitial lung disease: a pilot study.","authors":"Chiara Pellicano, Giuseppina Cusano, Amalia Colalillo, Francesca Villani, Valeria Carnazzo, Umberto Basile, Francesca De Filippis, Antonietta Gigante, Gregorino Paone, Edoardo Rosato","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/s4m3ax","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/s4m3ax","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease, characterised by microvascular alterations, dysregulation of immune system and fibrosis. The most important complication is interstitial lung disease (ILD). The aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in SSc patients and healthy controls (HC). The secondary aim was to correlate TSLP with skin fibrosis and extension of ILD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>75 SSc patients and 20 HC were enrolled and serum TSLP levels were measured in both cohorts. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and exhaled fraction of nitric oxide (FeNO) were assessed in SSc patients. A visual semi-quantitative staging system, tomographic fibrosis score (TFS), was used to assess SSc-ILD.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Serum levels of TSLP were higher in SSc patients than HC. A positive correlation between TSLP and mRSS was observed (r=0.409, p<0.001) and a negative correlation was found between TSLP and FVC (r=-0.356, p<0.01). Serum TSLP was significantly higher in SSc patients with Type 2 inflammation than patients without Type 2 inflammation [172 pg/ml (IQR 154.67;224.67) vs. 150 pg/ml (IQR 110;210.33), p<0.05]. The median value of serum TSLP was significantly higher in SSc patients with TFS ≥ 5% than SSc patients with TFS <5% [216.67 pg/ml (IQR 172;298.67) vs 140.67 pg/ml (IQR 122;166.67), p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In conclusion, TSLP might have a key role in ILD and skin fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1414-1421"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is there evidence for an autoimmune response to components of the TGF-β signalling pathway in scleroderma?","authors":"Rachel Wallwork, Livia Casciola-Rosen, Fredrick M Wigley","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/rp5hev","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/rp5hev","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1529"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144752489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultrasound for day-to-day clinical use: construction of a simple discriminator between healthy skin and thickened systemic sclerosis skin.","authors":"Vanessa Smith, Nathalie Berghen, Elvis Hysa, Amber Vanhaecke, Steven Wallaert, Emanuele Gotelli, Maurizio Cutolo","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/1c8ikh","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/1c8ikh","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Distinction of dermal thickening at fingers is paramount in recognition of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Evaluation of skin thickening by modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) might be challenging. Simple and practical tools are needed to help distinguishing (non-) thickened skin in daily practice. High frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) can reliably measure dermal thickness (DT). In this pilot study we search for a DT cut-off value (as a simple HFUS discriminator) to distinguish between healthy control (HC) and SSc skin at the left index finger (F2L).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>DT evaluated by HFUS (18MHz probe) in SSc patients (2013 ACR/EULAR criteria) was compared with HC in a cross-sectional study. A cut-off value was selected by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>63 consecutive SSc patients (mean age 52±14 SD, 78% female) and 48 HC (mean age 36±14 SD, 62% female) underwent HFUS. Mean DT at F2L was 1.44 mm (± 0.39 SD) in SSc patients and 1.06 mm (± 0.19 SD) in HC. Based on ROC-curve analysis, a DT cut-off of 1.5 mm is proposed as simple HFUS discriminator between HC and SSc, at a specificity of 1 and a sensitivity of 0.32. The final model had an area under the curve of 0.83 (95%CI 0.75-0.90).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A simple HFUS discriminator between skin thickness of HC versus SSc, i.e., DT as measured at F2L, at a cut-off of 1.5 mm, is proposed for daily use in rheumatology clinics. Further validation should be executed through prospective multicentric cohorts.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1386-1390"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142616031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor concentrations are linked to high-sensitivity troponin T and disease progression in systemic sclerosis.","authors":"Luise Schumacher, Antje Müller, Andreas Koch, Robert Markewitz, Peter Lamprecht, Gabriela Riemekasten, Sebastian Klapa","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/re755k","DOIUrl":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/re755k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine serum interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) concentrations as biomarker in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and their association with markers for inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hs-CRP), lymphocyte activation and turnover (beta-2 microglobulin, b2M), and cardiac damage (hs-troponin T, hs-TnT).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this longitudinal cross-sectional observational study, serum sIL-2R concentrations were determined in 315 patients with SSc. Clinical data were assessed at baseline and up to 48 months after. Associations were calculated using logistic regression. Clinical deterioration was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients with dcSSc (n=139) displayed increased serum sIL-2R concentrations (p=0.001) compared to lcSSc (n=176). Increase in sIL-2R concentrations was associated with cardiac (p=0.014), pulmonary (p=0.007) and skin involvement (p<0.001) in SSc. Overall, sIL-2R concentrations in SSc correlated with b2M (r=0.6161, p<0.001), hs-CRP (r=0.4091, p<0.001), and hs-TnT (r=0.4548, p<0.001). The serum sIL-2R concentration discriminated normal from pathological range concentrations of hs-TnT (ROC-AUC:0.87; 95%CI, 0.77-0.97; p<0.001; sensitivity 80.0%, specificity 80.1%). In patients with clinical improvement, the concentration of sIL-2R decreased (p=0.004). Using Log-rank test and Mantel-Cox proportional hazard models, we found that a sIL-2R concentration of ≥900 U/ml defined SSc subtypes with increased clinical activity and predicted early disease progression in SSc (HR:2.21, p=0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>sIL-2R concentrations reflect disease severity, particularly cardiac damage, and early disease progression, and suggest a potential role for disease and therapy monitoring. Thus, sIL-2R should be further evaluated as a biomarker in SSc in prospective studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":" ","pages":"1446-1454"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144257480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of different algorithms to identify the scleroderma pattern in nailfold videocapillaroscopy.","authors":"Andressa Shinzato, Juliana Y Sekiyama, Cristiane Kayser","doi":"10.55563/clinexprheumatol/0igmnr","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55563/clinexprheumatol/0igmnr","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Although the role of nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) in the investigation of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) is well established, there is significant heterogeneity in the parameters used to identify the scleroderma pattern. Recently, different algorithms have been proposed for the identification of the scleroderma pattern associated with SSc. This study aimed to explore the accuracy of different capillaroscopic parameters and algorithms (the Fast Track algorithm and the CAPI-score) for identifying the scleroderma pattern in individuals with and without RP and autoimmune rheumatic diseases.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 258 NVCs were analysed. The accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) of qualitative and quantitative NVC parameters were analysed to discriminate between scleroderma and non-scleroderma patterns.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The scleroderma pattern was identified in 101 (39.15%) NVCs. A density of ≤8 capillaries/mm was defined as the optimal cut-off point (AUC 0.911, 95% CI 0.871-0.950), yielding the highest accuracy (87.94%) for identifying the SD pattern versus normal and nonspecific microangiopathy. Cut-off values of ≤3 or ≤6 capillaries/mm resulted in lower sensitivity despite high specificity. The presence of giant capillaries demonstrated high specificity (98.09%) and an accuracy of 85.66%. The accuracy improved when the presence of giant capillaries and ≤8 capillaries/mm or ≤7 capillaries/mm were combined (accuracies of 91.08% and 86.82%, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The combination of two capillaroscopy parameters (giant capillaries and capillary density) inspired by the Fast Track and CAPI-score, was highly accurate for defining the scleroderma pattern in our cohort.</p>","PeriodicalId":10274,"journal":{"name":"Clinical and experimental rheumatology","volume":"43 8","pages":"1499-1507"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144774699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}