Table 1.

Demographics and clinical phenotype of enrolled participants according to purposive sampling framework

Demographics and clinical feature of enrolled patients presented according to purposive sampling framework	Bath	Pittsburgh	New Orleans	Overall
Number of participants, n (n per focus group held)	17 (8,9)	6 (6)	17 (7,7,3)	40
Mean age, years (SD)	62.5 (11.5)	50.8 (17.7)	52.7 (12)	56.6 (13.4)
Mean disease duration*, years (SD)	13.8 (11.3)	8.8 (6.6)	7.7 (6.3)	10.5 (9.1)
Disease subtype, n (%):
Limited cutaneous SSc	15 (88)	5 (83)	4 (24)	24 (60)
Diffuse cutaneous SSc	2 (12)	1 (17)	13 (76)	16 (40)
Disease duration*, n (%):
≤3 years	2 (12)	2 (33)	5 (29)	9 (23)
>3 years	15 (88)	4 (67)	12 (71)	31 (77)
Gender, n (%):
Female	16 (94)	5 (83)	13 (76)	34 (85)
Male	1 (6)	1 (17)	4 (24)	6 (15)
Ethnicity, n (%):
White/Caucasian	17 (100)	6 (100)	3 (18)	26 (65)
Black/African-American	0 (0)	0 (0)	12 (71)	12 (30)
Hispanic	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (12)	2 (5)
Vasodilator medication use‡, n (%):
Nil	3 (18)	2 (33)	2 (12)	7 (18)
Calcium channel blocker	9 (54)	2 (33)	14 (82)	25 (63)
Phosphodiesterase inhibitor	5 (29)	4 (67)	3 (18)	12 (30)
Prostanoids	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (6)	1 (3)
Angiotensin II antagonists	4 (24)	1 (17)	0 (0)	5 (13)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor	2 (12)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (5)
Endothelin receptor antagonist	1 (6)	1 (17)	2 (12)	4 (10)
Combination therapy	3 (18)	3 (50)	3 (18)	9 (23)
History of digital ulcer disease, n (%):
Yes	7 (41)	4 (33)	12 (71)	23 (58)
No	10 (59)	2 (67)	5 (29)	17 (42)

^‡Indication not specified and includes SSc-RP, SSc-DU, SSc-PAH and/or systemic hypertension/cardiovascular risk

^*Since first non-Raynaud’s symptom

SSc, systemic sclerosis; DU, digital ulcer; PAH, pulmonary arterial hypertension