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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
05:41
Non-invasive Assessment of Microvascular and Endothelial Function
Published on: January 29, 2013
Raynaud's phenomenon and plasma endothelin: correlations with capillaroscopic patterns in systemic sclerosis
Alberto Sulli1, Stefano Soldano, Carmen Pizzorni
1Research Laboratory and Academic Unit of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132 Genova, Italy.
The Journal of Rheumatology
|April 17, 2009
Summary
Endothelin-1 plasma levels are elevated in primary Raynaud
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Rheumatology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a condition affecting blood vessels, often linked to autoimmune diseases.
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) and primary RP (PRP) are distinct conditions with overlapping symptoms.
- Microvascular damage, assessed by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), is a key feature in RP and SSc.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare endothelin (ET)-1 plasma levels in patients with PRP, SSc-associated secondary RP (SRP), and healthy controls.
- To investigate the correlation between ET-1 levels and clinical parameters, disease duration, and NVC patterns in SSc patients.
Main Methods:
- Plasma ET-1 levels were measured using ELISA in 99 SSc patients, 49 PRP patients, and 45 controls.
- NVC was performed on all patients to categorize microangiopathy patterns (early, active, late).
- Morphological alterations in NVC were scored quantitatively.
Main Results:
- ET-1 levels were significantly higher in both PRP and SRP groups compared to controls.
- In SSc patients, ET-1 levels correlated positively with SRP duration and clinical measures like digital ulcers.
- Highest ET-1 levels were observed in SSc patients with the late NVC pattern, indicating advanced microangiopathy.
Conclusions:
- Elevated ET-1 plasma levels are associated with both PRP and SSc-related microangiopathy.
- ET-1 may play a role in the progression of microvascular and fibrotic damage in SSc, particularly in advanced stages.
- The late NVC pattern in SSc, characterized by capillary loss and fibrosis, shows the highest ET-1 concentrations.
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