An evaluation of some inflammatory, coagulative and immune factors in progressive systemic sclerosis

Thirty-five patients affected by Progressive System Sclerosis (PSS) (20 acrosclerosis and 15 diffuse sclerosis) were subjected to the following laboratory tests: Beta 2 microglobulin (B2m), Fibronectin, C3c, C4, Fibrinogen, Factor VIII Coagulant (F. VIII:C), Factor VIII related Antigen (F. VIII:Ag), IgG, ESR, Antithrombin III (AT III), alpha 1 Antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) and alpha 2 Macroglobulin (alpha 2M). The results showed that no difference was observed between the normal group and the groups of PSS patients with respect to alpha 1AT, alpha 2M, and AT III. In contrast the B2m, ESR, IgG, F. VIII:Ag results were significantly higher in the PSS patients, while Fibrinogen and C3c results were slightly higher, but no high enough to be of statistical significance. The two PSS patient subgroups did not produce significant results, only the C4 values were lower in the Diffuse Sclerosis subgroup. From these results it seem that the tests used are not very useful indifferentiating the two subgroups of the PSS patients.