Pulmonary artery wall thickness and systemic sclerosis: influence of inflammation on vascular changes

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease marked by vascular abnormalities and fibrosis. This study aimed to compare pulmonary artery wall thickness (PAWT) among SSc patients without PAH, patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH), and healthy controls, and to explore the clinical implications of increased PAWT in SSc patients.

This cross-sectional study included 60 SSc patients, 30 patients with IPAH, and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent transthoracic echocardiographic assessment. In SSc patients, modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), demographic characteristics, disease duration, type of skin and lung involvement, and autoantibody status were analyzed.

PAWT was significantly higher in the SSc group than in the control group. There was a strong correlation between PAWT and mRSS, with mRSS identified as an independent risk factor for increased PAWT. Additionally, a correlation was found between PAWT and echocardiographic parameters, particularly systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP).

PAWT is elevated in SSc patients compared to healthy controls. This may be associated with underlying vascular and fibrotic changes in SSc. Furthermore, the strong correlation between PAWT and echocardiographic markers of PAH suggests that PAWT could serve as a predictive marker for future PAH. In addition, the strong correlation between increased PAWT and mRSS suggests that elevated PAWT may represent a vascular component of SSc. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the clinical significance of PAWT in SSc and to define its potential role in disease management.