ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 2629

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients Not Complaining Raynaud’s Phenomenon Display Lower Skin Blood Perfusion Than Healthy Subjects

Barbara Ruaro1, Alberto Sulli1, Sabrina Paolino2, Carmen Pizzorni3, Veronica Tomatis1, Massimo Patanè1 and Maurizio Cutolo1, 1Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy, Genoa, Italy, 2University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino, Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy, Genova, Italy, 3Research Laboratory and Academic Unit of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy, Genova, Italy

Meeting: 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 18, 2017

Keywords:

Session Information

Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Title: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus – Clinical Aspects and Treatment Poster III: Therapeutics and Clinical Trial Design

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: A clinical feature of patients with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon (PRP) is the presence of low skin blood perfusion (BP) at the level of hands (1-3). Conversely, few studies investigated skin BP in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (4,5). The aim of this study was to investigate skin BP in different skin areas of hands and face in three groups of subjects: SLE patients not complaining clinical symptoms of Raynaud’s phenomenon, PRP patients and healthy subjects (CNT).

Methods: Fourtheen SLE patients without Raynaud’s phenomenon (ACR criteria) (mean age 51±14 years, mean disease duration 7±4 years), 14 PRP patients (LeRoy, criteria) (mean age 53±21 years, mean Raynaud duration 6±5 years) and 14 CNT, (mean age 53±17 years), after informed consent (6,7). Skin BP was assessed by laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) at the level of hands and face, and the mean BP reported as perfusion units (PU) (4). Patients were not taking vasodilator drugs at the time of the study. Statistical analysis was performed by non parametric tests.

Results: BP was found significantly lower in both SLE and PRP patients when compared with CNT at the level of fingertips (median PU 113, 84, 187, respectively; p<0.0001), periungual (median 102, 72, 143, respectively; p<0.0001), dorsal (median 73, 60, 122, respectively; p<0.0001) and palm areas of hands (median 93, 74, 117, respectively; p<0.0001). However, PRP patients showed lower BP values than SLE patients in all areas of hands (fingertips p=0.03, palm p=0.02, periungual p=0.006, dorsum p=0.05), but not at the level of face (p=0.90). SLE, PRP and CNT subjects displayed similar BP values at the level of face (median PU 145, 147, 125, respectively; p=0.40).

Conclusion: Statistically significant differences in skin BP were detected between SLE patients and controls. BP of hands was found lower in SLE patients not complaining clinical symptoms of RP than in healthy subjects. The clinical value of this new finding need to be investigated by further analysis.

References: 1. Ruaro B, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2014;73:1181-5. 2. Rosato E, et al. Rheumatology 2009;36:2257-63. 3. Cutolo M, et al. J Rheumatol 2010; 37: 1174-80. 4. Anania C, et al. Lupus. 2012;21:815-20. 5. de Leeuw K, et al. Lupus 2008; 17: 1010-7. 6. Petri M et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2012;64:2677-86. 7. LeRoy EC, et al. Clin Ex Rheumatol.1992;10:485-8.

Disclosure: B. Ruaro, None; A. Sulli, None; S. Paolino, None; C. Pizzorni, None; V. Tomatis, None; M. Patanè, None; M. Cutolo, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Ruaro B, Sulli A, Paolino S, Pizzorni C, Tomatis V, Patanè M, Cutolo M. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients Not Complaining Raynaud’s Phenomenon Display Lower Skin Blood Perfusion Than Healthy Subjects [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/systemic-lupus-erythematosus-patients-not-complaining-raynauds-phenomenon-display-lower-skin-blood-perfusion-than-healthy-subjects/. Accessed .

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