Systemic sclerosis at the crossroad of polyautoimmunity

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Immunology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases (AIDs).
• Previous studies on the prevalence of polyautoimmunity in SSc had limitations due to small cohort sizes and varied results.
• A comprehensive meta-analysis is needed to accurately determine the prevalence of polyautoimmunity in SSc.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis to determine the accurate prevalence of polyautoimmunity in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
• To identify the specific AIDs that frequently co-occur with SSc.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published from January 1960 to March 2013.
• Literature search conducted in MEDLINE and Embase databases.
• Inclusion of all cohort studies reporting the prevalence of AIDs in SSc patients.

Main Results:

• Ten studies comprising 6102 SSc patients were analyzed.
• The overall weighted prevalence of polyautoimmunity (at least one additional AID) in SSc patients was 25.7%.
• The most common associated AIDs were autoimmune thyroid disease (10.4%), Sjögren's syndrome (7.7%), and dermatopolymyositis/polymyositis (5.6%).

Conclusions:

• Polyautoimmunity is a frequent condition in systemic sclerosis, affecting approximately 25.7% of patients.
• The findings highlight the significant co-occurrence of multiple autoimmune diseases in SSc.
• Further research is warranted to explore the impact of polyautoimmunity on SSc phenotype, management, and therapy.