Nailfold capillaroscopy as a risk factor for pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy as a non-invasive tool for the assessment of peripheral microangiopathy in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Accumulating evidence supports the presence of endothelial and microvascular dysfunction in CVD, which can be assessed using several methods in peripheral organs and tissues. Naifold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is an established, noninvasive, easily applicable technique for the assessment of peripheral microcirculation. There is limited capillaroscopic data in the field of CVD, though, and the diagnostic or possible prognostic significance of the capillaroscopic alterations in this population is still a matter of research. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the capillaroscopic findings in patients with cardiovascular risk factors or established atherosclerotic and nonatherosclerotic CVD, focusing on the possible correlations of these alterations with clinical and laboratory markers of cardiac function.

Risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To investigate the risk factors for the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

The literature related to risk factors for the development of PAH in SLE patients was searched by the computer on China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed, and Embase, and the literature search was limited to the period of library construction to October 2022. Two researchers independently performed literature screening and literature information extracting, including first author, publication time, case collection time, sample size, and study factors, and used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) to evaluate the quality of the literature. The relationship between each clinical manifestation and laboratory index and the occurrence of PAH in SLE patients was evaluated based on the ratio (OR value) and its 95% CI.

RESULTS

A total of 24 publications were included, including 23 case-control studies and 1 cohort study with NOS ≥ 6, and the overall quality of the literature was high. The risk of PAH was higher in SLE patients who developed Raynaud phenomenon than in those who did not [OR = 2.39, 95% CI (1.91, 2.99), P < .05]; the risk of PAH was higher in SLE patients who were positive for anti-RNP antibodies than in those who were negative for anti-RNP antibodies [OR = 1.77, 95% CI (1.17, 3.2.65), P < .05]; the risk of PAH was higher in SLE patients with interstitial lung lesions than in those without combined interstitial lung lesions [OR = 3.28, 95% CI (2.37, 4.53), P < .05]; the risk of PAH was higher in SLE patients with combined serositis than in those without serositis [OR = 2.28, 95% CI (1.83, 2.84), P < .05]. The risk of PAH was higher in SLE patients with combined pericardial effusion than in those without pericardial effusion [OR = 2.97, 95% CI (2.37, 3.72), P < .05]; the risk of PAH was higher in SLE patients with combined vasculitis than in those without vasculitis [OR = 1.50, 95% CI (1.08, 2.07), P < .05]; rheumatoid factor-positive SLE patients had a higher risk of PAH than those with rheumatoid factor-negative [OR = 1.66, 95% CI (1.24, 2.24), P < .05].

CONCLUSION

Raynaud phenomenon, vasculitis, anti-RNP antibodies, serositis, interstitial lung lesions, rheumatoid factor, and pericardial effusion are risk factors for the development of PAH in patients with SLE.

Association of XIST/miRNA155/Gab2/TAK1 cascade with the pathogenesis of anti-phospholipid syndrome and its effect on cell adhesion molecules and inflammatory mediators

Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by thrombosis and miscarriage events. Still, the molecular mechanisms underlying APS, which predisposes to a wide spectrum of complications, are being explored. Seventy patients with primary and secondary APS were recruited, in addition to 35 healthy subjects. Among APS groups, the gene expression levels of XIST, Gab2, and TAK1 were higher along with declined miRNA155 level compared with controls. Moreover, the sera levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, IL-1ꞵ, and TNF-α were highly elevated among APS groups either primary or secondary compared with controls. The lncRNA XIST was directly correlated with Gab2, TAK1, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, IL-1ꞵ, and TNF-α. The miRNA155 was inversely correlated with XIST, Gab2, and TAK1. Moreover, ROC curve analyses subscribed the predictive power of the lncRNA XIST and miRNA155, to differentiate between primary and secondary APS from control subjects. The lncRNA XIST and miRNA155 are the upstream regulators of the Gab2/TAK1 axis among APS patients via influencing the levels of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, IL1ꞵ, and TNF-α which propagates further inflammatory and immunological streams. Interestingly, the study addressed that XIST and miRNA155 may be responsible for the thrombotic and miscarriage events associated with APS and provides new noninvasive molecular biomarkers for diagnosing the disease and tracking its progression.

Risk Factors for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Systematic Review and Expert Consensus

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review of studies focusing on adult patients classified as having SLE-related PAH by searching the electronic databases Embase, Medline, Medline in-progress, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Ichushi Web, Kmbase, and KoreaMed. Based on the findings, we conducted a Delphi survey to build expert consensus on issues related to screening for PAH in patients with SLE and on the importance and feasibility of measuring the identified factors in clinical practice.

RESULTS

We included 21 eligible studies for data synthesis. Sixteen factors were associated with an increased risk of SLE-PAH: pericardial effusion, serositis, longer duration of SLE, arthritis, acute and subacute cutaneous lupus, scleroderma pattern on nailfold capillaroscopy, diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide in the lungs (DLCO) <70% predicted, interstitial lung disease, thrombocytopenia, and seven serological factors. Six factors were associated with a decreased risk of SLE-PAH: malar/acute rash, hematologic disorder, renal disorder, higher Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score, and two serological factors. Among these, there were six risk factors on which the panelists reached strong or general consensus (peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity on echocardiography >2.8 m/s, pericardial effusion, DLCO <70% predicted, scleroderma pattern on nailfold capillaroscopy, brain natriuretic peptide >50 ng/l, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide >300 ng/l). The Delphi panel confirmed the need for a screening tool to identify patients with SLE at high risk of developing PAH and provided consensus on the importance and/or practicality of measuring the identified factors.

CONCLUSION

The risk factors we identified could be used in a screening algorithm to identify patients with SLE with a high risk of developing PAH to facilitate early diagnosis, which could improve prognosis and management of these patients.

Prevalence of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus in Colombia: An approach from the national health registry data

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune disease of multifactorial origin. There are no previous studies in Colombia describing juvenile SLE (jSLE) prevalence, prompting this demographic description.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed for prevalence calculation and epidemiologic analysis of jSLE) in Colombian patients, ages 0-19, from 2015 to 2019.

METHODS

This descriptive, cross-sectional study searched the Colombian Ministry of Health database for codes of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) associated with jSLE to estimate the disease prevalence for the total population and for specific age groups at national and regional levels. Calculations used intercensal estimates of population based on the projections of the national statistics administrative department (DANE) from the most recent census. This paper presents a sociodemographic analysis of patients with jSLE.

RESULTS

The study identified in Colombia, from 2015 to 2019, 3680 cases with jSLE as the principal diagnosis. Calculated prevalence of jSLE was 25 cases per 100,000 population, with highest frequency in ages 15-19 and females (84%), with a female:male ratio of 5.1:1.

CONCLUSION

Estimated prevalence of jSLE in Colombia is at the highest limit of worldwide findings. Consistent with reports in the literature, the disease involves females more frequently than males.

The Role of Anti-U1 RNP Antibody in Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Connective tissue disease (CTD) patients may suffer from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a serious complication, and anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibodies can be used as a potential indicator for the development and prognosis of CTD-associated PAH (CTD-PAH). However, there are still some controversies; thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus for eligible studies and assessed their quality using Newcastle−Ottawa scales or Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicators according to the type of research. Odds ratio (OR) was adopted as a measure of effect in risk factor analysis, and hazard ratio (HR) was adopted for prognostic factor analysis. Publication bias was evaluated using the Egger’s test. Thirteen studies were finally included. Anti-U1 RNP antibody was proved as a risk factor for PAH among CTD patients (OR = 5.30, 95%CI 2.96−9.48, p < 0.05) and a protective factor against mortality among CTD-PAH patients (HR = 0.55, 95%CI 0.36−0.83, p < 0.05). CTD patients with positive anti-U1 RNP antibodies are at high risk for PAH, so routine screening examinations, including echocardiography, are recommended. Additionally, anti-U1 RNP positivity has been linked to decreased mortality in patients with CTD-PAH.

Nailfold microvascular abnormalities are associated with a higher prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with MCTD

OBJECTIVE

MCTD manifests with microvasculopathy and overlapping clinical features of SLE, SSc and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of microvasculopathy in patients with MCTD using nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC).

METHODS

Fifty patients with newly diagnosed and untreated MCTD were enrolled in this multicentre, prospective and observational study. Clinical features and NVC findings were assessed at baseline and after 1 year post-intervention, along with disease controls [SLE (n = 40), SSc (n = 70) and IIM (n = 50)].

RESULTS

All MCTD patients presented Raynaud's phenomenon and were positive for anti-U1 RNP antibodies, and 22.0% (11/50) had pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The prevalence of NVC scleroderma patterns in MCTD was 38.0%, which was lower than SSc (88.6%) but higher than SLE (10.0%). In addition, when we divided MCTD patients into two groups by presence or absence of NVC scleroderma patterns, we found a higher prevalence of PAH in patients with NVC scleroderma patterns. Namely, NVC scleroderma patterns were observed in all MCTD patients with PAH, and in 21.0% of those without PAH. After intensive immunosuppressive therapy, NVC scleroderma patterns disappeared in half of the MCTD patients but were not changed in SSc patients.

CONCLUSIONS

MCTD differed from SLE, SSc and IIM in terms of the prevalence and responsiveness of NVC scleroderma patterns to immunosuppressive therapy. Detection of nailfold microvascular abnormalities in MCTD could contribute to predicting PAH and help us to understand further aspects of the pathogenesis of MCTD.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Lung Involvement: A Comprehensive Review

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with multiorgan manifestations, including pleuropulmonary involvement (20-90%). The precise mechanism of pleuropulmonary involvement in SLE is not well-understood; however, systemic type 1 interferons, circulating immune complexes, and neutrophils seem to play essential roles. There are eight types of pleuropulmonary involvement: lupus pleuritis, pleural effusion, acute lupus pneumonitis, shrinking lung syndrome, interstitial lung disease, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), pulmonary arterial hypertension, and pulmonary embolism. DAH has a high mortality rate (68-75%). The diagnostic tools for pleuropulmonary involvement in SLE include chest X-ray (CXR), computed tomography (CT), pulmonary function tests (PFT), bronchoalveolar lavage, biopsy, technetium-99m hexamethylprophylene amine oxime perfusion scan, and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. An approach for detecting pleuropulmonary involvement in SLE includes high-resolution CT, CXR, and PFT. Little is known about specific therapies for pleuropulmonary involvement in SLE. However, immunosuppressive therapies such as corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide are generally used. Rituximab has also been successfully used in three of the eight pleuropulmonary involvement forms: lupus pleuritis, acute lupus pneumonitis, and shrinking lung syndrome. Pleuropulmonary manifestations are part of the clinical criteria for SLE diagnosis. However, no review article has focused on the involvement of pleuropulmonary disease in SLE. Therefore, this article summarizes the literature on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of pleuropulmonary involvement in SLE.

Nailfold capillary scleroderma pattern may be associated with disease damage in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: important lessons from longitudinal follow-up

OBJECTIVES

To observe if capillary patterns in childhood-onset SLE (cSLE) change over time and find associations between a capillary scleroderma pattern with disease activity, damage or scleroderma-like features.

METHODS

Clinical and (yearly) capillaroscopy data from a longitudinal cohort of patients with cSLE (minimum of four Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria, onset <18 years) were analysed. Disease activity was measured by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Index (SLEDAI) and disease damage by SLICC Damage Index. A scleroderma pattern was defined according to the 'fast track algorithm' from the European League Against Rheumatism Study Group on Microcirculation in Rheumatic Diseases. An abnormal capillary pattern, not matching a scleroderma pattern, was defined as 'microangiopathy'.

RESULTS

Our cohort consisted of 53 patients with cSLE with a median disease onset of 14 years (IQR 12.5-15.5 years), median SLEDAI score at diagnosis was 11 (IQR 8-16), median SLEDAI at follow-up was 2 (IQR 1-6). A scleroderma pattern (ever) was seen in 18.9%, while only 13.2% of patients had a normal capillary pattern. Thirty-three patients had follow-up capillaroscopy of which 21.2% showed changes in type of capillary pattern over time. Type of capillary pattern was not associated with disease activity. Raynaud's phenomenon (ever) was equally distributed among patients with different capillaroscopy patterns (p=0.26). Anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies (ever) were significantly more detected (Χ², p=0.016) in the scleroderma pattern subgroup (n=7 of 10, 70%). Already 5 years after disease onset, more than 50% of patients with a scleroderma pattern had SLE-related disease damage (HR 4.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 18.8, p=0.034), but they did not develop clinical features of systemic sclerosis at follow-up. Number of detected fingers with a scleroderma pattern was similar between cSLE, juvenile systemic sclerosis and juvenile undifferentiated connective tissue disease.

CONCLUSION

This longitudinal study shows that the majority of capillary patterns in cSLE are abnormal and they can change over time. Irrespective of disease activity, a capillary scleroderma pattern in cSLE may be associated with higher risk of SLE-related disease damage.

Relationship between type of skin lesions and nailfold capillaroscopy pattern in mixed connective tissue disease

INTRODUCTION

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare disease with clinical picture consisted of multiple organ manifestations, including skin changes resembling systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), or dermatomyositis (DM). On the background of these manifestations are microvascular changes - alteration of endothelial function and impairment of endothelial progenitor cell. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a simple, non-invasive technique for investigating microvascular involvement in rheumatic diseases.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the relationship between type of skin lesions and NFC pattern in MCTD patients.

METHODS

We analyzed the clinical picture and NFC patterns in 79 patients with MCTD. The NFC changes were classified into Normal, "Early," "Active," and "Late" scleroderma-like patterns (SD-like pattern) based on Cutolo classification. In all patients, subjective and physical examinations were carried out, specifically the occurrence of skin lesions in the course of MCTD was assessed (systemic sclerosis-like (Ssc-like), systemic lupus erythematosus-like (SLE-like), dermatomysitis-like (DM-like)).

RESULTS

Skin changes were present in 64 (81%) patients, involving 43 (54%) SLE-like, 48 (61%) SSc-like, and 4 (5.1%) DM-like. NFC changes were observed in a total of 55 (69.6 %) patients with predominance of the "Early" pattern - 41 (51.9 %) patients. According to skin change phenotypes, NFC changes were observed in 31 (72%) patients with SLE-like and in 32 (66.7%) patients with SSc-like skin phenotypes. The "early" pattern predominated in both group.

CONCLUSIONS

We did not find any correlation between NFC pattern and the type skin changes. Key Points • The study did not show a correlation between the presence and absence of skin lesions and NFC pattern. • Scleroderma-like patterns were found in over 60% of patients with mixed connective tissue disease. • The "early" pattern is dominant regardless of the occurrence or absence of skin lesions in patients with MCTD. • Skin lesions, regardless of their type (SLE or SSc), do not correlate with type of lesion found in the NFC examination.

Skin microvascular dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with and without cardiovascular risk factors

OBJECTIVES

Patients with SLE have increased cardiovascular mortality. Alterations in both macro- and micro-circulation have been associated with cardiovascular disease. We sought to assess skin microvascular function by using laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) in patients with SLE, with and without cardiovascular disease and risk factors.

METHODS

Continuous blood flow was recorded using a LASCA device during baseline, a 5-min arterial occlusion and a 5-min reperfusion period.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients with SLE (85.7% women) with a median disease duration 12.0 (6.5-17.5) years and a mean age of 46.3 (8.6) years and 31 controls matched for age, sex and BMI were enrolled. During reperfusion, SLE patients exhibited a smaller peak magnitude compared with controls (161.0 (47.1) vs 197.2 (41.4)%, respectively, P =0.002). Results remained unchanged among 24 SLE patients without cardiovascular disease compared with the control group (169.2 (48.1) vs 195.6 (34.0)%, respectively, P =0.002).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows, for the first time, that patients with SLE, even without overt cardiovascular disease or risk factors, exhibit a blunted microvascular reactivity during reperfusion compared with controls. These results show that skin microvascular dysfunction is present in SLE independently of the CV burden that these patients bear and may represent an early sign of vascular damage.

Nailfold capillaroscopy changes associated with anti-RNP antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

Anti-U1RNP antibody is associated with distinct organ involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) allows non-invasive assessment of microvascular abnormalities in several connective tissue diseases. The objective of this study is to determine the association of anti-U1RNP antibody with microvascular changes by NFC in RNP-positive SLE patients in comparison with RNP-negative SLE patients (negative disease controls) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) cases (positive disease controls). NFC examination was performed in consecutive patients with SLE with or without anti-U1RNP positivity. MCTD patients were recruited as disease controls. Abnormalities noted in the three groups were compared using non-parametric tests. Ordinal logistic or linear regression was used wherever applicable. 81 patients were studied, of whom 28 were diagnosed as RNP-positive SLE (age 30.0 ± 10.37; 26 females), 26 were RNP-negative SLE (age 29.42 ± 9.20; 25 females) and 27 had MCTD (age36.5 ± 9.70; 25 females). RNP-positive SLE patients had more frequent giant capillaries, enlarged capillaries and ramified capillaries as compared to RNP-negative SLE (p = 0.05, < 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). The capillary density was lower in patients with MCTD as compared with patients with RNP-positive SLE (5.11 ± 1.69/mm vs 7.25 ± 1.38/ mm, p < 0.01) and RNP-negative SLE (8.92 ± 1.13/mm, p < 0.01). The reduction in capillary density was less severe in patients with RNP-negative SLE as compared with RNP-positive SLE (OR = 0.1058 [95% CI = 0.02-0.546], p < 0.01) which was independent of the presence of Raynaud's phenomenon, interstitial lung disease and disease duration. Presence of anti-U1RNP antibody is associated with notable patterns of microvascular abnormalities in SLE. These NFC abnormalities are noted more profoundly in patients with MCTD and are less marked in RNP-negative SLE patients.

Nailfold videocapillaroscopic changes in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with connective tissue diseases

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) represents one of the most devastating complications in connective tissue diseases (CTDs). The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of peripheral microangiopathy in patients with PAH associated with CTDs (CTD-PAH) by exploring nailfold videocapillaroscopic (NVC) changes and identify possible associations of NVC characteristics with markers of disease severity. Α cross-sectional study was performed in 18 CTD-PAH patients [13 PAH due to systemic sclerosis (SSc-PAH) and 5 with other types of CTD-PAH], 14 patients with SSc without PAH (SSc-non-PAH) and 20 healthy controls. NVC quantitative and qualitative parameters were evaluated using Optilia Digital Capillaroscope. To ensure inter-observer repeatability, capillaroscopic images were reviewed by two independent investigators. When compared to healthy controls, patients with CTD-PAH (77.8% women, mean age 65.9 years) presented reduced capillary density (6.5 ± 1.6 loops/mm vs. 9.7 ± 0.7 loops/mm, p < 0.001) and increased capillary loop width (23.3 ± 10.1 μm vs. 11.2 ± 2.5 μm, p < 0.001). SSc-PAH patients presented lower capillary density in comparison with other CTD-PAH patients and SSc-non-PAH subjects and abnormal and disorganized capillaries compared to controls. Patients with other CTD-PAH had also reduced capillary density and increased loop diameter compared to controls. A significant linear correlation was identified between capillary density and estimated glomerular filtration rate in the total CTD-PAH population (r = 0.63, p = 0.007). In SSc-PAH group, capillary loop diameter was positively correlated to cardiac index (r = 0.61, p = 0.02). Significant NVC microvascular changes were detected in patients with various types of CTD-PAH, suggesting an impaired peripheral microcirculation parallel to pulmonary vasculopathy.

Nailfold Capillaroscopy in Systemic Sclerosis Patients with and without Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related pulmonary arterial hypertension (SSc-PAH) is a leading cause of mortality in SSc. The extent of peripheral microvasculopathy assessed through nailfold capillaroscopy might correlate with the presence of PAH in SSc patients. We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and performed a random effects meta-analysis of observational studies comparing nailfold capillaroscopic alterations in SSc-PAH versus SSc-noPAH patients. Weighted mean differences (WMD) with the corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Seven studies with 101 SSc-PAH and 277 SSc-noPAH participants were included. Capillary density was marginally reduced in the SSc-PAH group (WMD: -1.0, 95% CI: -2.0 to 0.0, I² = 86%). This effect was strengthened once PAH diagnosis was confirmed by right heart catheterization (WMD: -1.2, 95% CI: -2.3 to -0.1, I² = 85%). An increase in capillary loop width was observed in SSc-PAH compared to SSc-noPAH patients (WMD: 10.9, 95% CI: 2.5 to 19.4, I² = 78%). Furthermore, SSc-PAH patients had a 7.3 times higher likelihood of active or late scleroderma pattern (95% CI: 3.0 to 18.0, I² = 4%). SSc-PAH patients presented with worse nailfold capillaroscopic findings compared to SSc-noPAH patients.

Peripheral microangiopathy in precapillary pulmonary hypertension: a nailfold video capillaroscopy prospective study

Background

Although pulmonary vascular bed has been the main subject of research for many years in pulmonary hypertension (PH), interest has recently started to divert towards the possibility of a co-existing peripheral microangiopathy. The aim of the current study was to investigate the presence of nailfold video-capillaroscopic (NVC) structural changes in patients with precapillary PH and to identify possible associations of NVC measurements with markers of disease severity.

Methods

Α prospective case–control study was performed in 28 consecutive patients with precapillary PH [14 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and 14 with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)] and 30 healthy controls. NVC quantitative and qualitative parameters were evaluated using Optilia Digital Capillaroscope. To ensure inter-observer repeatability capillaroscopic images were reviewed by two independent investigators. For multiple comparisons among continuous variables, one-way ANOVA or the Kruskal–Wallis test were used. Differences between the groups were tested with post-hoc analysis with adjustment for multiple comparisons (Bonferroni test).

Results

Both IPAH (71.4% were women, mean age 53.1 ± 13.4 years) and CTEPH (64.3% women, mean age 60.9 ± 14.4 years) groups presented reduced capillary density compared to healthy controls (8.4 ± 1.2 loops/mm and 8.0 ± 1.2 loops/mm vs. 9.7 ± 0.81 loops/mm, p < 0.001) and increased loop width (15.7 ± 3.9 μm and 15.8 ± 1.9 μm vs. 11.5 ± 2.3 μm, p < 0.001). More than half of patients with IPAH presented microhaemorrhages on capillary nailfold, while increased shape abnormalities in capillary morphology and more capillary thrombi per linear mm were detected in patients with CTEPH compared to patients with IPAH and healthy controls. All PH patients presented a non-specific NVC pattern compared to controls (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The findings of the study reveal a degree of significant peripheral microvascular alterations in patients with IPAH and CTEPH, suggesting a generalized impairment of peripheral microvasculature in pulmonary vascular disease.

Cervical spine manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: a review

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting 1% of the population with three times as many women as men. As many as 86% of patients suffering from RA have cervical spine involvement. Synovial inflammation in the cervical spine causes instability and injuries including atlantoaxial subluxation, retroodontoid pannus formation, cranial settling, and subaxial subluxation. While many patients with cervical spine involvement are asymptomatic, symptomatic patients often present with nonspecific symptoms resulting from inflammation and additional secondary symptoms that are due to compression of the brainstem, cranial nerves, vertebral artery, and spinal cord. Radiographs are the imaging modality used most often, while MRI and CT are used for assessment of neural element involvement and surgical planning. Multiple classification systems exist. Early diagnosis and treatment of cervical spine involvement is critical. Surgical management is indicated when patients experience symptoms from cervical involvement that result in biomechanical instability and, or a neurological deficit. Atlantoaxial instability managed with atlantoaxial fusion, retroodontoid pannus with neural element compression is managed with posterior decompression and atlantoaxial fusion or occipitocervical fusion. Cranial settling is managed can be managed with anterior decompression and posterior fusion or with dorsal only approaches. Subaxial subluxation is managed with circumferential fusion or posterior only decompression and fusion. Patients with atlantoaxial instability have better functional and neurologic outcomes. RA patients have higher complication rates and more frequent need for revision surgery than the general population of spine surgery patients.

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy: a novel possible surrogate marker for the evaluation of peripheral microangiopathy in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) changes in systemic sclerosis (SSc) are correlated with vascular complications, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), supporting a potential link between peripheral and internal organ vasculopathy. The current stage of knowledge regarding NVC and PAH is discussed, focusing on the assessment of peripheral microangiopathy and a potential relationship with functional, echocardiographic, and haemodynamic markers of cardiac dysfunction. A comprehensive literature search was carried out to identify all studies focusing on NVC findings in patients with PAH, diagnosed with right heart catheterization. The majority of the studies examined NVC findings in patients with SSc-PAH, while three studies reported NVC abnormalities in patients with idiopathic PAH. Besides the pulmonary vasculature, a systemic component of microangiopathy seems to be involved in PAH. Well-designed prospective trials are warranted to validate NVC as a biomarker, with clinical implications in the diagnostic evaluation, risk stratification, and overall management of PAH in the daily clinical setting.