Table 2.
Clinical characteristics and antinuclear antibodies in systemic sclerosis patients.
| Patients n = 43 |
|
|---|---|
| Duration of the disease (years) | 4 (1–9) |
| Limited disease, n(%) | 17 (39.5) |
| Diffuse disease, n(%) | 26 (60.5) |
| The presence of anti-nuclear antibodies, n(%) | 43 (100) |
| Anti-Scl-70 antibodies presence, n(%) | 26 (60.5) |
| Anti-PM/Scl antibodies presence, n(%) | 6 (14) |
| Anti-centromeric antibodies presence, n(%) | 10 (23.5) |
| Anti-NOR antibodies presence, n(%) | 3 (7) |
| Anti-Ro52 antibodies presence, n(%) | 9 (20.9) |
| RNA polymerase III antibodies presence, n(%) | 1 (2.3) |
| Anti-Th/To antibodies presence, n(%) | 1 (2.3) |
| Anti-Ku antibodies presence, n(%) | 1 (2.3) |
| Organ involvement | |
| Digital ulcers, n(%) | 14 (32.6) |
| Abnormal nailfold capillaries, n(%) | 25 (58.1) |
| Telangiectasia, n(%) | 11 (25.6) |
| Raynaud’s phenomenon, n(%) | 41 (95.3) |
| Dysphagia, n(%) | 11 (25.6) |
| Interstitial lung disease, n(%) | 30 (69.8) |
| Pulmonary arterial hypertension, n(%) | 10 (23.3) |
| Treatment characteristic | |
| Current steroids therapy, n(%) | 17 (39.5) |
| Current corticosteroid dose, mg per day, recalculated to methylprednisolone | 0 (0–4) |
| Systemic steroids therapy, years | 0 (0–3.3) |
| Immunosuppressive treatment (currently or in the past) | |
| Azathioprine, n(%) | 5 (11.6) |
| Cyclophosphamide, n(%) | 15 (34.9) |
| Methotrexate, n(%) | 12 (27.9) |
| Mycophenolan mofetil, n(%) | 5 (11.6) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Hypertension, n(%) | 20 (46.5) |
| Diabetes mellitus, n(%) | 3 (7) |
| Hypercholesterolemia, n(%) | 19 (44.2) |
| Internal medicine medications | |
| Angiotensine converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor antagonists, n(%) | 21 (48.8) |
| Statins, n(%) | 14 (32.6) |
| Beta-blockers, n(%) | 11 (25.6) |
| Diuretics, n(%) | 12 (27.9) |
| Calcium channel blockers, n(%) | 26 (60.5) |
Categorical variables are presented as numbers (percentages), continuous variables as median and interquartile range (25–75Q). Abbreviation: n—number.