A journey to vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis: focus on haemostasis and thrombosis.

Systemic sclerosis is a multisystem connective tissue disease, characterized by endothelial autoimmune activation, along with tissue and vascular fibrosis leading to vasculopathy and to a progressive loss of angiogenesis. This condition further deranges the endothelial barrier favouring the opening of the endothelial junctions allowing the vascular leak in the surrounding tissues: this process may induce cell detachment which allows the contact between platelets and collagen present in the exposed subendothelial layer. Platelets first adhere to collagen via glycoprotein VI and then, immediately aggregate because of the release of von Willebrand factor which is a strong activator of platelet aggregation. Activated platelets exert their procoagulant activity, exposing on their membrane phospholipids and phosphatidylserine, enabling the adsorption of clotting factors ready to form thrombin which in turn drives the amplification of the coagulative cascade. An essential role in the activation of blood coagulation is the tissue factor (TF), which triggers blood coagulation. The TF is found abundantly in the subendothelial collagen and is also expressed by fibroblasts providing a haemostatic covering layer ready to activate coagulation when the endothelial injury occurs. The aim of this review is to focus the attention on the underlying mechanisms related to haemostasis and thrombosis pathophysiology which may have a relevant role in SSc as well as on a possible role of anticoagulation in this disease.

A Case of SAPHO Syndrome with Endodontic Implications and Treatment with Biologic Drugs.

SAPHO syndrome (SS) is an autoinflammatory disease characterized by synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis. Among the sites affected by the osteoarticular manifestations of SS are the anterior chest wall and the mandible. The etiology of SS is still unknown; theories advocate a genetic predisposition and an infectious cause in association with disorders of the immune system. We report a case of SS in which there was the involvement of the mandible with a lesion of endodontic origin. A 44-year-old white woman diagnosed with SS at the university hospital was referred to the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics for a consultation. She reported spontaneous pain localized to the periapical area of tooth #19 with a history of multiple restorative and endodontic treatments. It was diagnosed as a previously treated tooth with symptomatic apical periodontitis (AP) at the time of the endodontic evaluation. A second retreatment was then performed in 1 appointment under local anesthesia. During retreatment, a separated instrument and a ledge were found in the mesiobuccal canal, and attempts to bypass it were not successful; the canal was then obturated to the reachable length. Within the same month, the patient was also administered an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha biologic medication in association with a disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for the treatment of SS. Within 3 months, the overall therapy had led to a marked improvement of the systemic and mandibular symptoms, and a periapical radiograph showed almost complete healing of the lesion. Medical examinations have shown a total remission of signs and symptoms starting 6 months after the initiation of treatment. After 5 years, the disease is under control, and tooth #19 is symptom free and shows absence of AP. The endodontists need to be aware of the existence of SS and the possible effects of the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic medications on the treatment of persistent AP.