Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiology, University of Messina, Italy.
Angiology. 2011 May;62(4):338-43. doi: 10.1177/0003319710387918.
Vascular involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. We assessed arterial stiffness using a new echo-tracking technique in patients with SSc asymptomatic for cardiovascular diseases. We enrolled 22 patients (21 female, 63 ± 14 years) and 20 controls (12 female, 62 ± 3 years). Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was comparable between the 2 groups (1.1 ± 0.3 vs 1.0 ± 0.4 mm, P = ns), whereas the stiffness parameters were significantly increased in patients (β: 9.5 ± 4.2 vs 5.8 ± 1.1, P = .001; pulse wave velocity [PWV]: 6.5 ± 1.5 vs 5.2 ± 0.6 m/sec, P = .003). A correlation between stiffness parameters, anti-Scl-70 antibodies (β: r = .46, P = .03; PWV: r = .50, P = .02), and anticentromere antibodies (β: r = -.54, P = .020; PWV: r = -.53, P = .023) was found. Echo-tracking technique may be valuable in early identification of vascular involvement in patients with SSc.
血管参与系统性硬化症（SSc）的发病机制中起着关键作用。我们评估了使用新的回声跟踪技术的无症状心血管疾病的 SSc 患者的动脉僵硬程度。我们纳入了 22 名患者（21 名女性，63±14 岁）和 20 名对照者（12 名女性，62±3 岁）。两组间颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）无差异（1.1±0.3 比 1.0±0.4mm，P=ns），但患者的僵硬参数显著升高（β：9.5±4.2 比 5.8±1.1，P=0.001；脉搏波速度[PWV]：6.5±1.5 比 5.2±0.6m/sec，P=0.003）。僵硬参数与抗 Scl-70 抗体之间存在相关性（β：r=0.46，P=0.03；PWV：r=0.50，P=0.02），与抗着丝点抗体之间也存在相关性（β：r=-0.54，P=0.020；PWV：r=-0.53，P=0.023）。回声跟踪技术可能对早期识别 SSc 患者的血管受累有价值。
