Description of a single centre cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis from the University Hospital of Buenos Aires and factors associated with lung function deterioration. A retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION

Given the paucity of data in Latin America and especially in Argentina regarding the epidemiology of SSc, the prevalence of ILD, its course, and particularly the response to treatment, our objective was to evaluate a cohort of SSc patients evaluated in a single University Hospital in Buenos Aires.

PATIENTS/METHODS: We included 152 patients with SSc, followed from disease onset to last pulmonary function test and with at least two PFT and up to 30 months between each.

RESULTS

Sixty-one percent had diffuse SSc (DSSc) and 32% limited SSc (LSSc). The only significant clinical differences between these groups were a higher initial mRodnan score and prevalence of ILD in the DSSc. These also had significantly more anti Scl-70 (Topoisomerase 1) antibodies compared to the LSSC group who had significantly more anti centromere antibodies. The DSSc group also had significantly more extensive damage on HRCT with no differences in terms of imaging patterns. Comparing patients with and without ILD by HRCT, those with ILD had significantly more extensive damage, significantly more anti Scl-70 antibodies, and significantly fewer anti centromere antibodies than those without ILD. Patients whose ILD progressed had a smoking history (OR 4.97) and prior immunosuppressive treatment (OR 15.6) (multivariate analysis). Overall disease duration was significantly shorter in those who progressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Our SSc population had similar characteristics to those described elsewhere as well as prevalence of ILD and its progression. We found a shorter disease duration, smoking, and prior immunosuppressive treatment to be associated with ILD progression.