Research Article: Copeptin as a Biomarker of Microcirculation Alterations in Systemic Sclerosis
Abstract:
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease associated with progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, widespread peripheral vasculopathy, and immune dysfunction. Although tissue fibrosis is the hallmark of SSc, vascular damage plays an important role in the early stages of disease pathogenesis and may precede fibrosis by months or years. SSc-associated microvasculopathy clinically manifests as Raynaud’s phenomenon, refractory ischemic digital ulcers (DUs), scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).– Digital ulcers occur in up to % of all SSc patients. These disabling and painful lesions are recurrent, refractory to treatment and may lead to auto-amputation, infection, impaired hand function, and decreased quality of life.,
Introduction:
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease associated with progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, widespread peripheral vasculopathy, and immune dysfunction. Although tissue fibrosis is the hallmark of SSc, vascular damage plays an important role in the early stages of disease pathogenesis and may precede fibrosis by months or years. SSc-associated microvasculopathy clinically manifests as Raynaud’s phenomenon, refractory ischemic digital ulcers (DUs), scleroderma renal…
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