Clinical and Serological Correlation of Systemic Sclerosis in Moroccan Patients

Overview

Journal Rheumatol Adv Pract

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Rheumatology

Date 2023 Apr 24

PMID 37091295

Authors

Kaoutar Ouazahrou

Jalila El Bakkouri

Manal Souali

Leila Jeddane

Khaoula Mokhantar

Abderrahmane Errami

Hassan El Kabli

Ahmed Aziz Bousfiha

Khadija Echchilali

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: SSc is a CTD characterized by excessive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, along with microvascular damage, and is often associated with typical autoantibodies. The aim of this study was to analyse the correlation between specific autoantibody profiles, clinical and paraclinical features in Moroccan patients with SSc.

Methods: We analysed the presence of specific autoantibodies in 46 SSc patients using IIF on HEp-2 cells and immunodot. We then correlated the types of autoantibodies with clinical and laboratory manifestations.

Results: Among our patients, 86.9% were females. The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 50.21 years, with an average delay to diagnosis of 5 years. The main clinical manifestations found were RP (89.2%), sclerodactyly (84.8%), proximal scleroderma (67.4%), gastrointestinal involvement (50%) and interstitial lung disease (30.4%). According to the specific autoantibody profile, 14 patients were anti-topo I positive (30.4%), 8 anti-RNP (68 kDa/A/C) positive (17.4%) and 6 anti-RNA polymerase III positive (13%). We found a significant association of anti-RNA polymerase III with sclerodactyly and pulmonary arterial hypertension (<0.05). We also found an association between anti-topo I and interstitial lung disease in 30.4% of patients. There was no significant association between the positivity for the autoantibodies and other diagnosed clinical manifestations.

Conclusion: Some clinical manifestations of SSc might be positively correlated with the presence of specific autoantibodies. Environmental factors, ethnicity and gene interaction might also influence this correlation.

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