Does arterial stiffness predict mortality in patients with scleroderma: a long-term follow-up study

Subclinical macrovascular impairment, which has been evaluated with various arterial stiffness (AS) parameters, has been defined in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, studies investigating the relationship between AS and clinical endpoints in SSc are lacking. This study aims to determine the prognostic value of AS parameters to predict all-cause mortality in SSc patients.

AS parameters [carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx)] were assessed via applanation tonometry. The prognostic value of these parameters was quantified in patients with SSc (n=60) without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and obvious cardiac involvement against survival.

The overall median follow-up time was 10.3 years, and a 29.4% (n=20) mortality was observed. Four significant predictors of mortality were observed: lung involvement (HR 2.608, p=0.04), the lower level of predicted carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (HR 0.978, p=0.03), lower level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (HR 0.979, p=0.04), and elevated serum C reactive protein (CRP) levels (HR 1.066, p<0.001). Among these variables, elevated CRP was found to be an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. AS parameters were not associated with all-cause mortality (HR 1.014, p=0.6 for AIx and HR 0.737, p=0.19 for PWV, respectively).

Long-term data failed to demonstrate the prognostic value of AS parameters in predicting all-cause mortality in SSc patients. The exact mechanisms of cardiovascular (CV) mortality in SSc patients deemed to be atherosclerotic in origin needs to be determined in large-scale studies.