Foot Pain and Lesions in Systemic Sclerosis: Prevalence and Association with Organ Involvement

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate prevalence of foot pain and lesions in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and their association with other organ involvements. Materials and methods: In this cross-section study 133 scleroderma patients were probed throughout a survey in which both forms of digital and non-digital plantar lesions were included. Chi-square test and student’s t-test were used to determine the associations of foot pain and lesion with clinical features and serologic findings of the disease. multivariate analysis was used for determining independent factors associated with foot lesion and pain. Results: Of all patients, 119 (89%) were women with a mean age +Standard Deviation (SD) of 39.3 + 13.1 years, 32 (24.1%) patients had foot pain, and 40.6% were classified as having diffuse cutaneous SSc. Mean disease duration was 6.7 ± 5.8 years. Foot lesions were found in 47 (35%) of patients; from which 30 (93.8%) patients reported foot pain. In univariate analysis, Foot lesion were associated with vascular lesion, such as Raynaud ‘s phenomenon on the foot (p < 0.001), digital ulcer/gangrene (p < 0.005), calcinosis (p < 0.00 1), and high pulmonary arterial pressure on echocardiography (PAP), (p < 0.05). Additionally, we noticed the association of foot lesion with inflammatory disease, such as arthritis (p < 0.001), tendon friction rub (p < 0.004), pericardial effusion (p < 0.003), and esophageal dysmotility (p < 0.03) for vascular foot lesion. In the multivariate model, the diffuse subtype of the disease, presence of telangiectasia, calcinosis and Raynaud’s on foot showed a significant association with vascular foot lesion. Conclusion: Foot pain and lesion are common in Scleroderma patients, the diffuse subtype of the diseases, foot’s Raynaud’s, calcinosis, and telangiectasia were independently associated factors with foot lesion.