Table 1:

Parameters available in clinical practice and associated with progressive SSc-ILD

Parameters
Demographical and clinical parameters
Advanced age
Male gender
African-American ethnicity
dcSSc
Pulmonary Function Tests
Low baseline FVC (%predicted)*
Low baseline DLco (%predicted)*
HRCT findings
Extent of ILD on HRCT (cut-off value >20% of lung parenchyma for total lung involvement)
Serum markers
Anti-Scl70/Topoisomerase I antibody
Nucleolar pattern (especially including anti-Th/To and U3-RNP)
Elevated acute phase reactants, including serum CRP levels greater than upper limit of normal

^*cut-off values vary across studies

ILD=Interstitial Lung Disease; dcSSc=diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis; FVC=forced vital capacity ; DLco=diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide; HRCT= high resolution computed tomography; CRP=C-reactive protein