ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 1560

Changes of Cerebral Structure and Perfusion Vary in Different Subtypes of Systemic Sclerosis: A Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Xinyu Tong1, Huilin He2, Shihan Xu2, Zihan Ning1, Rui Shen1, Xiaofeng Zeng3, qian wang4, Dong Xu5, Xihai zhao1 and Zuoxiang He1, 1Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 2Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China, 3Department of Rheumatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Beijing, China, 4Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China 2National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China, 5Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2024

Keywords: , ,

Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024

Title: Systemic Sclerosis & Related Disorders – Clinical Poster II

Session Type: Poster Session B

Session Time: 10:30AM-12:30PM

Background/Purpose: The characteristics of brain impairment in different subtypes of systemic sclerosis (SSc) (dcSSc, diffuse cutaneous SSc; lcSSc, limited cutaneous SSc) remain unclear. This study aimed to characterize cerebral structure and perfusion changes in different subtype of SSc patients using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Methods: Seventy SSc patients (46.0±11.7 years, 62 females) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (44.8±13.7 years, 24 females) were recruited and underwent brain MR imaging and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Gray matter (GM) volumes were measured using voxel-based morphometry analysis on T1-weighted images. Voxel-based and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was calculated on arterial spin labeling images. The cerebral structural and perfusion measurements by MR imaging were compared among dcSSc, lcSSc and healthy subjects using one-way ANOVA. The correlations between clinical characteristics and MR imaging measurements were also analyzed.

Results: The dcSSc patients exhibited a significant reduction in GM volume in the para-hippocampal region (cluster P< 0.01, FWE corrected) compared to healthy volunteers. Whereas, SSc patients, particularly lcSSc patients, showed elevated CBF in cerebellum, insula, cerebral cortex, and subcortical structures (regional analyses: all P< 0.05; voxel-based analyses: cluster P< 0.01, FWE corrected). Furthermore, clinical characteristics of modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) (r value ranged from -0.29 to -0.45), MoCA scores (r=0.40) and antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity (r=-0.33) were significantly associated with CBF in some regions (all P< 0.05). 

Conclusion: The manifestations of brain involvement vary among different subtypes of SSc. In addition, severe skin sclerosis may indicate higher risk of brain involvement in SSc patients.

Supporting image 1

The illustration of post-processing analysis.

Supporting image 2

Voxel-based perfusion comparison results (t-value distribution) between lcSSc patients, dcSSc patients and healthy volunteers. (cluster P < 0.01, FWE corrected).

Supporting image 3

The correlation of clinical characteristics and CBF values in some brain regions

Disclosures: X. Tong: None; H. He: None; S. Xu: None; Z. Ning: None; R. Shen: None; X. Zeng: None; q. wang: None; D. Xu: None; X. zhao: None; Z. He: None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Tong X, He H, Xu S, Ning Z, Shen R, Zeng X, wang q, Xu D, zhao X, He Z. Changes of Cerebral Structure and Perfusion Vary in Different Subtypes of Systemic Sclerosis: A Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024; 76 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/changes-of-cerebral-structure-and-perfusion-vary-in-different-subtypes-of-systemic-sclerosis-a-brain-magnetic-resonance-imaging-study/. Accessed .

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