Phenotyping by persistent inflammation in systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease: a EUSTAR database analysis.

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous disease with frequently associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). We aimed to determine the prognostic potential of phenotyping patients with SSc and SSc-ILD by inflammation and to describe disease trajectories stratified by inflammation and immunosuppressive treatment. METHODS: Patients from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) group cohort were allocated to persistent inflammatory, intermediate and non-inflammatory phenotypes if C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were ≥5 mg/L at ≥80%, at 20-80% and at <20% of visits, respectively. Cox regression models were used to analyse mortality risk and mixed effect models to describe trajectories of FVC and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) %-predicted stratified by inflammation and immunosuppressive treatment. RESULTS: 2971 patients with SSc and 1171 patients with SSc-ILD had at least three CRP measurements available. Patients with SSc-ILD with a persistent inflammatory phenotype had a 6.7 times higher risk of mortality within 5 years compared with those with a persistent non-inflammatory phenotype (95% CI 3 to 15). In the inflammatory phenotype, FVC %-predicted was declining without (-1.11 (95% CI -2.14 to -0.08)/year), but stable with immunosuppressive treatment (-0.00 (95% CI -0.92 to 0.92)/year). In the non-inflammatory phenotype, patients with and without immunosuppressive treatment had a significant decline in FVC %-predicted, which was more pronounced in those with immunosuppressive treatment (-1.26 (95% CI -1.87 to -0.64) and -0.84 (95% CI -1.35 to -0.33)/year, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Phenotyping by persistent inflammation provides valuable prognostic information, independent of demographics, disease duration, cutaneous subtype, treatment and SSc-ILD severity. The findings from this study support early immunosuppressive treatment in patients with SSc-ILD with persistent inflammation.

Scleroderma en Coup de Sabre, Parry-Romberg Hemifacial Atrophy and Associated Manifestations of the Eye, the Oral Cavity and the Teeth: A Danish Follow-Up Study of 35 Patients Diagnosed between 1975 and 2015.

BACKGROUND: Scleroderma en coup de sabre (ECDS) and Parry-Romberg idiopathic hemifacial atrophy (IHA) may affect the eyes, oral cavity, teeth and possibly the brain. OBJECTIVE: Systematic follow-up study of ECDS/IHA-associated manifestations including ophthalmic and dental status. METHODS: Medical records of ECDS and IHA patients diagnosed in a 40-year period (1975-2015) were reviewed, and patients were re-examined. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were included. Twenty-two patients (63%) had ECDS and 4 patients (11%) IHA. In 9 cases (26%), ECDS and IHA were found in the same patient. The ipsilateral eye was affected in 9 patients (26%). Ipsilateral abnormalities of the teeth and the tongue were found in 13 (46%) out of 28 examined. Eleven (31%) had extrafacial scleroderma on the trunk or the extremities. Neurological findings were not verified as ECDS/IHA related. CONCLUSION: ECDS and IHA are related and often overlap with concomitant affections of the connective tissues of the face on the ipsilateral side. Ocular and dental abnormalities are common and follow the distribution of the primary affection, for example, a paramedian line in the front and segmental affection of the maxilla and the mandible. The affections point to predisposing dysmorphogenetic events in embryonal life affecting the face, with abnormality of crest cells at the stage when they migrate from behind over the scalp or laterally to the face to mix up with mesenchymal tissues of the frontonasal, maxillary and mandibular processes. The study emphasizes that routine evaluation of ECDS and IHA should include ophthalmological and dental specialist examinations.

Outcomes of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis patients: Results on more than 12,000 patients from the EUSTAR database.

OBJECTIVES: Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (LcSSc) is the most common subset of SSc but it has been overlooked in the past years. At a time at which clinical trials focus on diffuse cutaneous SSc (DcSSc) we aimed at clarifying the outcomes of LcSSc and at evaluating whether potential drug positioned in DcSSc may also be used in LcSSc. METHODS: The EUSTAR database was used to investigate skin, lung and peripheral vasculopathy outcomes in LcSSc. Worsening of skin fibrosis, ILD and peripheral vasculopathy were defined by an increase in modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) > 3.5 points, a decrease of FVC > 10% in patients with ILD at baseline, and by the development of new digital ulcers (DU) in patients without DU at baseline. RESULTS: 8013 LcSSc and 4786 DcSSc patients were included. In contrast to DcSSc, skin disease was remarkably stable in the majority of LcSSc patients with >80% having a change lower than ±4 units of mRSS at 12, 24 and 36 months follow-up. Conversely, FVC changes over time were very similar between LcSSc and DcSSc. Regarding DU, numbers of patients with new DU over time seemed to be almost similar between the two subsets. CONCLUSIONS: LcSSc patients have a low mRSS at baseline with marginal changes with time. Conversely, SSc-ILD can be as progressive as in DcSSc supporting the inclusion of LcSSc patients in SSc-ILD trials and suggesting potential benefit of any anti-ILD drugs. Similarly, although slightly less common, DU should receive the same attention in the two subsets.

Outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis treated with rituximab in contemporary practice: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of rituximab in systemic sclerosis (SSc) in clinical practice. METHODS: We performed a prospective study including patients with SSc from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) network treated with rituximab and matched with untreated patients with SSc. The main outcomes measures were adverse events, skin fibrosis improvement, lung fibrosis worsening and steroids use among propensity score-matched patients treated or not with rituximab. RESULTS: 254 patients were treated with rituximab, in 58% for lung and in 32% for skin involvement. After a median follow-up of 2 years, about 70% of the patients had no side effect. Comparison of treated patients with 9575 propensity-score matched patients showed that patients treated with rituximab were more likely to have skin fibrosis improvement (22.7 vs 14.03 events per 100 person-years; OR: 2.79 [1.47-5.32]; p=0.002). Treated patients did not have significantly different rates of decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC)>10% (OR: 1.03 [0.55-1.94]; p=0.93) nor in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) decrease. Patients having received rituximab were more prone to stop or decrease steroids (OR: 2.34 [1.56-3.53], p<0.0001). Patients treated concomitantly with mycophenolate mofetil had a trend for better outcomes as compared with patients receiving rituximab alone (delta FVC: 5.22 [0.83-9.62]; p=0.019 as compared with controls vs 3 [0.66-5.35]; p=0.012). CONCLUSION: Rituximab use was associated with a good safety profile in this large SSc-cohort. Significant change was observed on skin fibrosis, but not on lung. However, the limitation is the observational design. The potential stabilisation of lung fibrosis by rituximab has to be addressed by a randomised trial.

Ophthalmic findings in linear scleroderma manifesting as facial en coup de sabre.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate ophthalmic involvement in a long-term series of patients with en coup de sabre (ECS) close to the eye based on the hypothesis that this is not commonly affected, or simply under-reported. METHODS: An observational study of ophthalmological findings in patients from Copenhagen University Dermatology Clinics. A standard eye examination further included exophthalmometry, axial length and keratometry (IOLMaster), and horizontal eye muscle thickness (B-scan ultrasonography). RESULTS: Thirty-one consecutive patients were included from 2014 to 2015 (25 females, 6 males; median age, 33 years; range, 11-71 years). Twenty-seven patients had undergone ophthalmic evaluation more than once (observation time, 1-31 years; median, 7 years). Most eyes were normal or had currently adapted to eventual adnexal lesions and to insidious changes in eye position and/or motility. However, significant ipsilateral complications had developed related to 8 eyes, where two patients had more than one disorder. The ophthalmic pathologies were: blind eye (n = 2) due to adult age keratopathy/perforation and to Coats-like retinal detachment in childhood; restricted eye motility and diplopia (n = 2); acquired corneal astigmatism (n = 2); and dense cataract with light sense only (n = 1). Two patients had optic neuritis-like presentations, and lacrimal sac pathology occurred in one. CONCLUSIONS: The main ophthalmic focus possibly explained the high proportion of significant lesions in this patient series (in 8 of 31). In addition to the established feature of enophthalmos, the oculometric evidence suggested smaller eye and rectus muscle involvement, interpreted as a secondary (late) negative trophic effect of the overlying skin disorder on eye structures.

Brief Report: Smoking in Systemic Sclerosis: A Longitudinal European Scleroderma Trials and Research Group Study.

OBJECTIVE: Data on the role of tobacco exposure in systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) severity and progression are scarce. We aimed to assess the effects of smoking on the evolution of pulmonary and skin manifestations, based on the European Scleroderma Trials and Research group database. METHODS: Adult SSc patients with data on smoking history and a 12-24-month follow-up visit were included. Associations of severity and progression of organ involvement with smoking history and the Comprehensive Smoking Index were assessed using multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 3,319 patients were included (mean age 57 years, 85% female); 66% were never smokers, 23% were ex-smokers, and 11% were current smokers. Current smokers had a lower percentage of antitopoisomerase autoantibodies than previous or never smokers (31% versus 40% and 45%, respectively). Never smokers had a higher baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV1 /FVC) ratio than previous and current smokers (P < 0.001). The FEV1 /FVC ratio declined faster in current smokers than in never smokers (P = 0.05) or ex-smokers (P = 0.01). The baseline modified Rodnan skin thickness score (MRSS) and the MRSS decline were comparable across smoking groups. Although heavy smoking (>25 pack-years) increased the odds of digital ulcers by almost 50%, there was no robust adverse association of smoking with digital ulcer development. CONCLUSION: The known adverse effect of smoking on bronchial airways and alveoli is also observed in SSc patients; however, robust adverse effects of smoking on the progression of SSc-specific pulmonary or cutaneous manifestations were not observed.

Mapping and predicting mortality from systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the causes of death and risk factors in systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Between 2000 and 2011, we examined the death certificates of all French patients with SSc to determine causes of death. Then we examined causes of death and developed a score associated with all-cause mortality from the international European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) database. Candidate prognostic factors were tested by Cox proportional hazards regression model by single variable analysis, followed by a multiple variable model stratified by centres. The bootstrapping technique was used for internal validation. RESULTS: We identified 2719 French certificates of deaths related to SSc, mainly from cardiac (31%) and respiratory (18%) causes, and an increase in SSc-specific mortality over time. Over a median follow-up of 2.3 years, 1072 (9.6%) of 11 193 patients from the EUSTAR sample died, from cardiac disease in 27% and respiratory causes in 17%. By multiple variable analysis, a risk score was developed, which accurately predicted the 3-year mortality, with an area under the curve of 0.82. The 3-year survival of patients in the upper quartile was 53%, in contrast with 98% in the first quartile. CONCLUSION: Combining two complementary and detailed databases enabled the collection of an unprecedented 3700 deaths, revealing the major contribution of the cardiopulmonary system to SSc mortality. We also developed a robust score to risk-stratify these patients and estimate their 3-year survival. With the emergence of new therapies, these important observations should help caregivers plan and refine the monitoring and management to prolong these patients' survival.

Cross-sectional study of soluble selectins, fractions of circulating microparticles and their relationship to lung and skin involvement in systemic sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial damage and activation may play central roles in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and are reflected by microparticles (MPs) and soluble selectins. The objective of this study was to determine if these potential biomarkers are associated with specific organ involvements or cutaneous subgroups of SSc patients. METHOD: MPs in platelet-poor plasma from 121 patients with SSc, 79 and 42 with limited and diffuse cutaneous disease, respectively, were characterized by flow cytometry for their capacity to bind annexin V in combination with surface markers of either platelets (PMPs), leukocytes (LMPs) or endothelial cells (EMPs). Soluble E- and P-selectin levels were determined in plasma. By correlation analyses, this was held against involvement of skin, lung function, lung fibrosis, pulmonary artery hypertension, and serology. RESULTS: None of the markers were associated with cutaneous subgroups of SSc. Concentrations of annexin V non-binding EMPs and annexin V non-binding LMPs were negatively correlated to pulmonary diffusing capacity (DLCO) (r = -0.28; p = 0.003; r = -0.26; p = 0.005) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = -0.24; p = 0.009; r = -0.29; p = 0.002), driven by patients with limited and diffuse cutaneous disease, respectively. Soluble E-selectin levels correlated negatively to DL(CO) (r = -0.21, p = 0.03) and FVC (r = -0.25; p = 0.007); and soluble P-selectin correlated negatively to DL(CO) (r = -0.23, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Negative correlations between annexin V non-binding EMP and LMP concentrations with lung function parameters (DL(CO) and FVC) differed between limited and diffuse cutaneous subsets of SSc, indicative of various pathogeneses of lung involvement in SSc, possibly with a differential role of MPs.

Value of systolic pulmonary arterial pressure as a prognostic factor of death in the systemic sclerosis EUSTAR population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) estimated by echocardiography in the multinational European League Against Rheumatism Scleroderma Trial and Research (EUSTAR) cohort. METHODS: Data for patients with echocardiography documented between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2011 were extracted from the EUSTAR database. Stepwise forward multivariable statistical Cox pulmonary hypertension analysis was used to examine the independent effect on survival of selected variables. RESULTS: Based on our selection criteria, 1476 patients were included in the analysis; 87% of patients were female, with a mean age of 56.3 years (s.d. 13.5) and 31% had diffuse SSc. The mean duration of follow-up was 2.0 years (s.d. 1.2, median 1.9). Taking index sPAP of <30 mmHg as reference, the hazard ratio (HR) for death was 1.67 (95% CI 0.92, 2.96) if the index sPAP was between 30 and 36 mmHg, 2.37 (95% CI 1.14, 4.93) for sPAP between 36 and 40 mmHg, 3.72 (95% CI 1.61, 8.60) for sPAP between 40 and 50 mmHg and 9.75 (95% CI 4.98, 19.09) if sPAP was >50 mmHg. In a multivariable Cox model, sPAP and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were independently associated with the risk of death [HR 1.833 (95% CI 1.035, 3.247) and HR 0.973 (95% CI 0.955, 0.991), respectively]. sPAP was an independent risk factor for death with a HR of 3.02 (95% CI 1.91, 4.78) for sPAP ≥36 mmHg. CONCLUSION: An estimated sPAP >36 mmHg at baseline echocardiography was significantly and independently associated with reduced survival, regardless of the presence of pulmonary hypertension based on right heart catheterization.

[Development of scleroderma renal crisis in a patient with undiagnosed scleroderma].

Less than 10% of the patients with systemic scleroderma develop renal crisis, i.e. acute renal failure and severe hypertension in most cases. Kidney biopsy shows hypertensive arteriolar changes. This complication was lethal until treatment with captopril was introduced in 1976. Since that time the survival of the patients has improved. If treatment is started early, further deteoriation of the kidney may be prevented.

Deterioration of lung function is associated with presence of IgM rheumatoid factor and smoking in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Smoking is a known risk factor for the development of several lung diseases, autoimmune diseases, and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) in nonrheumatic persons. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis and IgM RF the diffusion capacity is decreased in smokers but not in nonsmokers. In the present study of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) the influence of smoking and IgM RF on the lung function was calculated. One hundred fifty-five persons with SSc had vital capacity (VC) and diffusing capacity (DLco) measured at least twice with at least 1-year interval as percents of predicted values according to gender, age, height, and weight. The yearly changes in VC and DLco were calculated, Delta VC and Delta DLco, respectively. IgM RF was measured at the beginning of the study. Smoking was defined as having ever smoked. Statistically significant deterioration of VC and DLco in patients with circulating IgM RF was found only in smokers or previous smokers, P = 0.007 and P = 0.01, respectively. These findings were confirmed by means of multiple regression analyses. The presence of IgM RF in smoking SSc patients is associated with deteriorating lung function. Whether this is a causal association and whether the presence of IgM RF in smoking patients with SSc actually confers an increased risk of pulmonary damage remains to be determined.

Blepharophimosis, corneal vascularization, deafness, and acroosteolysis: a "new" syndrome?

We report on a patient with blepharophimosis who after unsuccessful surgery developed progressive corneal vascularization. The patient had conductive hearing loss, acroosteolysis of the phalanges, arthropathy, loss of subcutaneous fat of the hands, feet and face, and oligospermia. He had had spontaneous pneumothorax four times. We have found no similar case reports in the literature and suggest that this is a new syndrome, which must be differentiated from hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia, mandibuloacral dysplasia, keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome, Hajdu-Cheney syndrome, Penttinen syndrome, and mucopolysaccharidoses.

Localized scleroderma in childhood is not just a skin disease.

OBJECTIVE: Juvenile localized scleroderma is usually considered a disease that is confined to the skin and subcutaneous tissue. We studied the prevalence and clinical features of extracutaneous manifestations in a large cohort of children with juvenile localized scleroderma. METHODS: Data from a multinational study on juvenile scleroderma was used for this in-depth study. Clinical features of patients with extracutaneous manifestations were compared with those of patients who had exclusively skin involvement. RESULTS: Seven hundred fifty patients entered the study. One hundred sixty-eight patients (22.4%) presented with a total of 193 extracutaneous manifestations, as follows: articular (47.2%), neurologic (17.1%), vascular (9.3%), ocular (8.3%), gastrointestinal (6.2%), respiratory (2.6%), cardiac (1%), and renal (1%). Other autoimmune conditions were present in 7.3% of patients. Neurologic involvement consisted of epilepsy, central nervous system vasculitis, peripheral neuropathy, vascular malformations, headache, and neuroimaging abnormalities. Ocular manifestations were episcleritis, uveitis, xerophthalmia, glaucoma, and papilledema. In more than one-fourth of these children, articular, neurologic, and ocular involvements were unrelated to the site of skin lesions. Raynaud's phenomenon was reported in 16 patients. Respiratory involvement consisted essentially of restrictive lung disease. Gastrointestinal involvement was reported in 12 patients and consisted exclusively of gastroesophageal reflux. Thirty patients (4%) had multiple extracutaneous features, but systemic sclerosis (SSc) developed in only 1 patient. In patients with extracutaneous involvement, the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor was significantly higher than that among patients with only skin involvement. However, Scl-70 and anticentromere, markers of SSc, were not significantly increased. CONCLUSION: Extracutaneous manifestations of juvenile localized scleroderma developed in almost one-fourth of the children in this study. These extracutaneous manifestations often were unrelated to the site of the skin lesions and sometimes were associated with multiple organ involvement. The risk of developing SSc was very low. This subgroup of patients with juvenile localized scleroderma should be evaluated extensively, treated more aggressively, and monitored carefully.

IgA pemphigus: the first two Scandinavian cases.

IgA pemphigus is a rare neutrophilic acantholytic skin disorder with only approximately 70 cases reported in the indexed literature to date. Here we describe two patients with IgA pemphigus (subcorneal pustular dermatosis type and intraepithelial neutrophilic type) that to our knowledge are the first Scandinavian patients with this disease. Initially, both patients were misdiagnosed as subcorneal pustular dermatosis of Sneddon and Wilkinson and only subsequent careful immunofluorescence studies (in one case with confocal laser scanning microscopy) led to the correct diagnosis. Apart from the expected IgA depositions on epidermal cell surfaces, both patients demonstrated some degree of intercellular IgG-specific immunofluorescence. No circulating IgA autoantibodies were detected. One patient was treated with the standard regime comprising dapsone and prednisolone, whereas in the other case a novel methotrexate and prednisolone combination treatment showed marked clinical efficacy.