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Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
[Clinical associations of C-reactive protein in systemic sclerosis]
Aim:
To evaluate incidence of C-reactive protein (CRP) rise and CRP associations with clinical manifestations in systemic sclerosis (SS).
Material And Methods:
CRP concentrations in blood serum were estimated with solid phase enzyme immunoassay in 21 SS patients (8 patients with diffuse SS--dSS and 13 patients with limited SS--lSS). Two patients with ISS had documented rheumatoid arthritis (RA)--SS/RA. Forty two healthy donors with normal levels of CRP served control.
Results:
CRP was elevated in 10 (48%) of 21 SS patients. Mean CRP content was 9.87 +/- 7.73 mg/l (about 3 times higher than in the control group, p < 0.0001) in 20 eligible patients. A mean CRP level did not differ between ISS and dSS patients. RA patients had higher levels of CRP (p = 0.001). CRP was elevated in 4 of 5 (80%) patients with digital ulcers and only in 5 (27%) of 15 patients without ulcers, but the difference was insignificant as well as those in mean CRP in these subgroups. Content of von Willebrand factor antigen (Ag:vW) was high in 7 (33%) patients (mean 1.70 +/- 0.84 IU/ml) this being significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.0001). CPR concentration closely correlated with that of Ag:vW (r = 0.52; p = 0.017). Close association was found between CRP level and ESR (r = 0.75; p < 0.001) and titer of antinuclear factor (r = 0.52; p = 0.035).
Conclusion:
A moderate rise of CRP level in about 50% cases of SS is associated with arthritis and cutaneous ulcers. A positive correlation between CRP content and Ag:vW in blood suggests that CPB concentrations may reflect severity of vascular damage in SS.
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