Antonietta Gigante1, Cosimo Bruni2, Gemma Lepri2, Giulia Tesei2, Vanessa Maestripieri3, Serena Guiducci2, Alberto Moggi-Pignone4, Daniela Melchiorre2, Maria Boddi3, Silvia Bellando-Randone2, Edoardo Rosato5, Marco Matucci-Cerinic2. 1. A. Gigante, MD, E. Rosato, MD, Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome. 2. C. Bruni, MD, G. Lepri, MD, G. Tesei, MD, S. Guiducci, MD, D. Melchiorre, MD, S. Bellando-Randone, MD, M. Matucci-Cerinic, MD, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, and Division of Rheumatology AOUC & Scleroderma Unit, Florence. 3. V. Maestripieri, MD, M. Boddi, MD, Department Cardio-Thorax-Vascular Medicine, Division of General Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, Florence. 4. A. Moggi-Pignone, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine Unit III, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy. 5. A. Gigante, MD, E. Rosato, MD, Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome; edoardo.rosato@uniroma1.it.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present retrospective observational study was to evaluate the change of Renal Resistive Index (RRI) over time (ΔRRI) and under treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) as well as to correlate these changes with disease complications. METHODS: Two hundred thirty patients [29 male, median age 57 (IQR 48-67) yrs] were enrolled. At baseline and follow-up (3.43, IQR 2.81-4.45 yrs), we collected the following data: disease variables, nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) pattern, forced vital capacity (FVC), diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP), presence of interstitial lung disease, RRI, evaluation of glomerular filtration rate, and new onset of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). RESULTS: RRI value is high in SSc patients with digital ulcers and anticentromere antibodies, active and late NVC patterns, and limited cutaneous SSc. A significant correlation was observed between ΔRRI and ΔsPAP (R = 0.17, P = 0.02), with statistically higher ΔRRI (0.08 ± 0.02 vs 0.03 ± 0.05, P = 0.04) in patients complicated by PAH onset. No other new-onset complication was associated with ΔRRI. The receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed the predictive role of ΔRRI in development of new PAH (area under the curve 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.93, P = 0.02). In patients with SSc never exposed to sildenafil, ΔRRI was higher (0.04 ± 0.05) compared to both patients exposed to sildenafil during the study period (0.01 ± 0.05, P = 0.03) or in those exposed at the time of baseline evaluation (0.00 ± 0.05, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: RRI and its variation in time are a reliable marker of SSc-related vasculopathy, both in renal and extrarenal compartments.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present retrospective observational study was to evaluate the change of Renal Resistive Index (RRI) over time (ΔRRI) and under treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) as well as to correlate these changes with disease complications. METHODS: Two hundred thirty patients [29 male, median age 57 (IQR 48-67) yrs] were enrolled. At baseline and follow-up (3.43, IQR 2.81-4.45 yrs), we collected the following data: disease variables, nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) pattern, forced vital capacity (FVC), diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP), presence of interstitial lung disease, RRI, evaluation of glomerular filtration rate, and new onset of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). RESULTS: RRI value is high in SSc patients with digital ulcers and anticentromere antibodies, active and late NVC patterns, and limited cutaneous SSc. A significant correlation was observed between ΔRRI and ΔsPAP (R = 0.17, P = 0.02), with statistically higher ΔRRI (0.08 ± 0.02 vs 0.03 ± 0.05, P = 0.04) in patients complicated by PAH onset. No other new-onset complication was associated with ΔRRI. The receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed the predictive role of ΔRRI in development of new PAH (area under the curve 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.93, P = 0.02). In patients with SSc never exposed to sildenafil, ΔRRI was higher (0.04 ± 0.05) compared to both patients exposed to sildenafil during the study period (0.01 ± 0.05, P = 0.03) or in those exposed at the time of baseline evaluation (0.00 ± 0.05, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: RRI and its variation in time are a reliable marker of SSc-related vasculopathy, both in renal and extrarenal compartments.