title: Capillaroscopy as an Outcome Measure for Clinical Trials on the Peripheral Vasculopathy in SSc-Is It Useful?
abstract: Peripheral microvascular impairment in systemic sclerosis (SSc) may be easily detected and scored in a safe noninvasive way by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC). The paper highlights clinical conditions related to SSc in which NVC may represent an outcome measure of therapeutical interventions, by elaborating on their already assessed relationship with the NVC patterns and eventually scores. The 3 important biological/clinical conditions are: the positivity for SSc-specific serum autoantibodies, the presence of SSc skin digital ulcers (DUs) and of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) SSc associated. In conclusion, to the question if capillaroscopy (NVC) may represent in SSc an outcome measure for clinical trials on the peripheral vasculopathy, based on the growing evidence and our detailed studies, the answer is positive. Recent therapeutic trials in SSc are confirming this role, and the experience is growing rapidly.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory and Academic Unit of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cutolo
authors.forename: Alberto
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authors.lastname: Sulli
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizzorni
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smith
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