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Sulli A, Hysa E, Cere A, Lalli F, Pinelli A, Sammorì S, Gotelli E, Pizzorni C, Malfait F, Castori M, Smith V, Cutolo M. Microvascular status and skin thickness in adults with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a pilot investigation. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2023:20052. [PMID: 37976114 DOI: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/nrs4mp] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is a hereditary connective tissue disorder characterised by joint hypermobility, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and skin abnormalities and easy bruising. Morphological and functional microvascular status has not yet been studied in hEDS, and dermal thickness (DT) has been poorly investigated, therefore the aim of our study was to investigate it. METHODS We conducted a study to investigate microvascular morphology by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), peripheral blood perfusion (PBP) by laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA), and DT by high-frequency skin ultrasound (22 MHz probe) in adults with hEDS compared to sex- and age-matched controls. RESULTS Microhaemorrhages were found more prevalent and the capillary number per linear millimetre at the nailfold was slightly higher in hEDS patients than in controls, as well as the NVC score for abnormal shaped capillaries was slightly lower (less abnormal shaped capillaries) in hEDS patients than in controls, even if this was not statistically significant. PBP was comparable between hEDS patients and controls. The DT resulted generally lower in hEDS patients than controls with significant values limited to feet and thorax (p=0.04). A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the Beighton score and the score for microhaemorrhages (r=0.4, p=0.05), as well as between the Beighton score and DT (r≥0.5, p≤0.02) at the level of feet and thorax. CONCLUSIONS Our study detected in hEDS patients a normal microvascular function at rest and a suitable capillary morphology butwith increased microvascular fragility. The dermal thickness seems thinner in hEDS patients than in controls in most skin areas, with strong statistically significance at the level of feet and thorax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Sulli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.
| | - Elvis Hysa
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Cere
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Francesca Lalli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Pinelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Silvia Sammorì
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Emanuele Gotelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Carmen Pizzorni
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Fransiska Malfait
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marco Castori
- Division of Medical Genetics, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent; Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Centre, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maurizio Cutolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
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Hysa E, Pizzorni C, Sammorì S, Gotelli E, Cere A, Schenone C, Ferrari G, Campitiello R, Gerli V, Paolino S, Sulli A, Smith V, Cutolo M. Microvascular damage in autoimmune connective tissue diseases: a capillaroscopic analysis from 20 years of experience in a EULAR training and research referral centre for imaging. RMD Open 2023; 9:e003071. [PMID: 37451812 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) allows the detection of microvascular damage in autoimmune connective tissue diseases (CTDs). The prevalence of the morphological capillary findings was retrospectively evaluated in a wide cohort of patients with Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to a CTD at the time of the first single NVC, independently from their current treatment, autoantibody profile and comorbidities. METHODS One-thousand-one-hundred-eighty-one patients affected by CTDs were included from 2001 to 2021. The considered CTDs were systemic sclerosis (SSc), undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), dermatomyositis (DM), systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome and primary antiphospholipid syndrome (aPS). The capillaroscopic parameters were distinguished between scleroderma patterns and non-scleroderma patterns. RESULTS Giant capillaries were significantly more frequent in SSc, DM and MCTD than in other CTDs (respectively, in 73%, 73% and 61% of patients, p<0.001 when comparing each rate vs the other CTDs). The mean capillary count was significantly lower in SSc, DM and MCTD (respectively, 7.04±0.18 vs 6.5±0.75 vs 7.7±2 capillaries/linear mm) compared with the other CTDs (p<0.001 for each rate vs the other CTDs). The non-specific abnormalities of capillary morphology were significantly more frequent in SSc, MCTD and aPS (respectively, in 48%, 41% and 36% of cases, all p<0.001 vs each other CTDs). CONCLUSION This large size sample of patients with CTDs, collected over 20 years of analysis, confirms the highest prevalence of specific capillaroscopic alterations in patients with SSc, DM and MCTD, when compared with other CTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvis Hysa
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Carmen Pizzorni
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Silvia Sammorì
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Emanuele Gotelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Andrea Cere
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Carlotta Schenone
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Giorgia Ferrari
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Rosanna Campitiello
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Veronica Gerli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Sabrina Paolino
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Alberto Sulli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Centre (IRC), University Hospital Ghent, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Ghent, Gent, Belgium
| | - Maurizio Cutolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Postgraduate School of Rheumatology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Liguria, Italy
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Hysa E, Gotelli E, Sammorì S, Cimmino MA, Paolino S, Pizzorni C, Sulli A, Smith V, Cutolo M. Immune system activation in polymyalgia rheumatica: Which balance between autoinflammation and autoimmunity? A systematic review. Autoimmun Rev 2021; 21:102995. [PMID: 34798314 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2021.102995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that is common in elderly people. Its classification in the spectrum of autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases is difficult because of its only partially understood immune-mediated mechanisms. The literature concerning the innate and adaptive immune system activation in PMR was systematically reviewed highlighting the relative weight of autoinflammation and autoimmunity in its pathogenesis and disease progression. METHODS A literature search on PubMed Central and Embase scientific databases was performed by two independent reviewers. To be eligible, the studies needed to fully satisfy our initial PICO framework: a primary diagnosis of PMR as a population, the search for immune/inflammatory cells, cytokines and autoantibodies as an intervention, a control group consisting in healthy controls, patients with other inflammatory rheumatic diseases or PMR patients in remission after treatment and as outcomes the results of the investigations in the analyzed tissue samples. The most relevant data of the included papers were extracted by using a standardized template. RESULTS Of the 933 screened abstracts, 52 papers were included in the systematic review and categorized depending on their primary research objectives. The hyper-activity of neutrophils and monocytes, expressing toll-like receptor 7 in active disease, an impaired phagocytosis and endothelial dysfunction, as well as an increased count of innate T cells in patients with remission emerged among the major derangements of the innate immune response in PMR. Among the cytokines profile, interleukin-6 plays a key role but other pro-inflammatory mediators and angiogenesis markers such as chemokines, B-cell activating factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietins seem to be involved in refractory or glucocorticoid-resistant PMR. The aberrant adaptive immune response was documented by tissue and serum findings of polarized T cells towards T helper 1 and 17 phenotypes, an increased expression of immunosenescent surface markers and a downregulated immunoregulatory response. The altered distribution of peripheral B cells, detected during active disease, suggested their peripheral migration towards unidentified sites. The interaction between innate and adaptive immune response was documented by a synovial infiltrate of macrophages and T cells. Despite multiple autoantibodies have been detected in PMR patients, none proved to correlate with disease activity seeming to be reactive to the marked inflammation or antigenic determinants provided by environmental triggers or tissue/cell damage. CONCLUSIONS The complex network between innate and adaptive immune system in PMR is supported by findings at molecular and cellular levels. By considering both the ends of the pathophysiological spectrum of immune-mediated rheumatic diseases, PMR may be regarded as an inflammatory immune-mediated disease with mixed mechanisms in a background of genetic and epigenetic factors together with immunological and endocrine senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvis Hysa
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emanuele Gotelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Sammorì
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Amedeo Cimmino
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sabrina Paolino
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Carmen Pizzorni
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Alberto Sulli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital; Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Maurizio Cutolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy - IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic, Genoa, Italy.
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