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Stöcker JK, Schouffoer AA, Spierings J, Schriemer MR, Potjewijd J, de Pundert L, van den Hoogen FHJ, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, Staal JB, Satink T, Vonk MC, van den Ende CHM. Evidence and consensus-based recommendations for non-pharmacological treatment of fatigue, hand function loss, Raynaud's phenomenon, and digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2021; 61:1476-1486. [PMID: 34260723 PMCID: PMC8996778 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keab537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Systemic sclerosis is a complex connective tissue disease affecting mental and physical health. Fatigue, hand function loss, and Raynaud's phenomenon are the most prevalent disease-specific symptoms of systemic sclerosis. This study aimed to develop consensus and evidence-based recommendations for non-pharmacological treatment of these symptoms. METHODS A multidisciplinary task force was installed comprising 20 Dutch experts. After agreeing on the method for formulating the recommendations, clinically relevant questions about patient education and treatments were inventoried. During a face-to-face task force meeting, draft recommendations were generated through a systematically structured discussion, following the nominal group technique. To support the recommendations, an extensive literature search was conducted in MEDLINE and six other databases until September 2020, and 20 key systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and published recommendations were selected. Moreover, 13 Dutch medical specialists were consulted on non-pharmacological advice regarding Raynaud's phenomenon and digital ulcers. For each recommendation the level of evidence and the level of agreement was determined. RESULTS Forty-one evidence and consensus-based recommendations were developed, and 34, concerning treatments and patient education of fatigue (12), hand function loss (8), and Raynaud's phenomenon/digital ulcers-related problems (14), were approved by the task force. CONCLUSIONS These 34 recommendations provide guidance on non-pharmacological treatment of three of the most frequently described symptoms in patients with systemic sclerosis. The proposed recommendations can guide referrals to health professionals, inform the content of non-pharmacological interventions, and can be used in the development of national and international postgraduate educational offerings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane K Stöcker
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,HAN University of Applied Sciences, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research group, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud university medical center, Department of Rheumatic diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anne A Schouffoer
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Rheumatology, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Haga Teaching Hospital, Department of Rheumatology, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Julia Spierings
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Royal Free and University College London, Department of Inflammation, Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marisca R Schriemer
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,National Association for people with Lupus, Systemic Sclerosis, Antiphospholipid syndrome, and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Potjewijd
- Maastricht University Medical Center, Department of Clinical immunology, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lian de Pundert
- Haga Teaching Hospital, Department of physical therapy, The Hague, The Netherlands.,University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science and Sport, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frank H J van den Hoogen
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud university medical center, Department of Rheumatic diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - J Bart Staal
- HAN University of Applied Sciences, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research group, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud university medical center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, IQ Healthcare, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ton Satink
- HAN University of Applied Sciences, Research group Neuro Rehabilitation, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,European Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Madelon C Vonk
- Radboud university medical center, Department of Rheumatic diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia H M van den Ende
- Sint Maartenskliniek, Department of Research, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud university medical center, Department of Rheumatic diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Furst D, Varga J, Roofeh D, Pauling JD, Hughes M, Sandler R, Zimmermann F, Wessel R, Townsend W, Chung L, Denton CP, Merkel PA, Steen V, Allanore Y, Del Galdo F, Godard D, Cella D, Farrington S, Buch MH, Khanna D. Considerations for a combined index for limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis to support drug development and improve outcomes. JOURNAL OF SCLERODERMA AND RELATED DISORDERS 2021; 6:66-76. [PMID: 34316516 PMCID: PMC8313014 DOI: 10.1177/2397198320961967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc; systemic scleroderma) is characterized by a heterogeneous range of clinical manifestations. SSc is classified into limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous subgroups (dcSSc) based on the extent of skin involvement. Randomized controlled trials in scleroderma have mainly focused on dcSSc partly because the measurement of skin involvement, critical for evaluating a therapeutic intervention is more dynamic in this subset. Nonetheless, lcSSc, the most common cutaneous subset (about 2/3), is also associated with significant morbidity and detrimental impact on health-related quality of life. The lack of interventional studies in lcSSc is partly due to a lack of relevant outcome measures to evaluate this subgroup. Combining several clinically meaningful outcomes selected specifically for lcSSc may improve representativeness in clinical trials and responsiveness of outcomes measured in randomized controlled trials. A composite index dedicated to lcSSc combining such relevant outcomes could advance clinical trial development for lcSSc by providing the opportunity to test and select among candidate drugs that could act as disease-modifying treatments for this neglected subgroup of SSc. This proposed index would include items selected by expert physicians and patients with lcSSc across domains grounded in the lived experience of lcSSc. This article reviews the reasons behind the relative neglect of lcSSc, discusses the current state of outcome measures for lcSSc, identifies challenges, and proposes a roadmap for a combined lcSSc-specific treatment response index.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Roofeh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - John D Pauling
- Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (at Royal United Hospitals), Bath, UK
| | - Michael Hughes
- Department of Rheumatology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Robert Sandler
- Department of Rheumatology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - François Zimmermann
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Rachel Wessel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Whitney Townsend
- Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lorinda Chung
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Christopher P Denton
- Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, Royal Free Hospital Campus, University College London Medical School, London, UK
| | - Peter A Merkel
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Virginia Steen
- Division of Rheumatology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yannick Allanore
- Rheumatology A department, Cochin Hospital, APHP, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Francesco Del Galdo
- Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK
| | | | - David Cella
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 625 Michigan Ave, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sue Farrington
- Federation of European Scleroderma Associations (FESCA), Tournai, Belgium
| | - Maya H Buch
- Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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