Measurement of skin elastic properties with a new suction device (II): systemic sclerosis.

We previously reported the skin elastic properties of normal subjects as measured by a newly developed suction device (6). In the present report, we examined the skin elastic properties of 62 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), clinically diagnosed as limited or diffuse type. We measured the skin elastic properties on the forearm and chest and investigated correlations with disease type and clinical skin score. Patients with the diffuse type SSc showed significantly lower values than those with the limited type SSc or normal subjects in distention and retraction ability at the chest and forearm. This suction device is clinically useful for the objective evaluation of skin elastic properties in diffuse systemic sclerosis.