[Clinical associations of C-reactive protein in systemic sclerosis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate incidence of C-reactive protein (CRP) rise and CRP associations with clinical manifestations in systemic sclerosis (SS).


METHODS
CRP concentrations in blood serum were estimated with solid phase enzyme immunoassay in 21 SS patients (8 patients with diffuse SS--dSS and 13 patients with limited SS--lSS). Two patients with ISS had documented rheumatoid arthritis (RA)--SS/RA. Forty two healthy donors with normal levels of CRP served control.


RESULTS
CRP was elevated in 10 (48%) of 21 SS patients. Mean CRP content was 9.87 +/- 7.73 mg/l (about 3 times higher than in the control group, p < 0.0001) in 20 eligible patients. A mean CRP level did not differ between ISS and dSS patients. RA patients had higher levels of CRP (p = 0.001). CRP was elevated in 4 of 5 (80%) patients with digital ulcers and only in 5 (27%) of 15 patients without ulcers, but the difference was insignificant as well as those in mean CRP in these subgroups. Content of von Willebrand factor antigen (Ag:vW) was high in 7 (33%) patients (mean 1.70 +/- 0.84 IU/ml) this being significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.0001). CPR concentration closely correlated with that of Ag:vW (r = 0.52; p = 0.017). Close association was found between CRP level and ESR (r = 0.75; p < 0.001) and titer of antinuclear factor (r = 0.52; p = 0.035).


CONCLUSIONS
A moderate rise of CRP level in about 50% cases of SS is associated with arthritis and cutaneous ulcers. A positive correlation between CRP content and Ag:vW in blood suggests that CPB concentrations may reflect severity of vascular damage in SS.
Alekperov
R T
RT
Baranov
A A
AA
Abaĭtova
N E
NE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; C029417:Von Willebrand antigen; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein