TABLE 1.

Overview of SSc patients included in this study

Systemic sclerosis (SSc)–no.	24
Age–years
Median age (range)	60 (31–87)
Average age ± SD	61.8 ± 11.9
Gender–no. (%)
Female	5 (20.8)
Male	19 (79.2)
SSc subtype–no. (%)
Limited cutaneous	18 (75)
Diffuse cutaneous	3 (12.5)
Very early	3 (12.5)
Type of autoantibodies–no. (%)
ANA positive	24 (100)
ACA positive	11 (45.8)
Scl70 positive	5 (20.8)*
U1‐RNP positive	1 (4.2)*
RNA polymerase III positive	2 (8.3)*
Clinical information and immunosuppression–no. (%)
Infection in past 4 weeks	3 (12.5)
Immunosuppressive treatment	0 (0)

The asterisks indicate the information of these autoantibodies was missing for one patient.

Abbreviations: ACA, anti‐centromer antibodies; ANA, anti‐nuclear antibodies; Scl70, anti‐Scl70 antibodies (also termed anti‐topoisomerase I antibodies); SSc, systemic sclerosis; U1‐RNP, anti‐U1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies.