title: Correlations between angiogenic factors and capillaroscopic patterns in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to assess whether nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) patterns are associated with levels of angiogenic factors in systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  
  
  METHODS
  Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and circulating endothelial cells (CECs) were measured in the peripheral blood of 60 consecutive SSc patients. Serum levels of eight endothelial markers were measured first in these 60 patients, and then in an independent replication cohort of 43 SSc patients in case of association with NVC patterns. NVC patterns were determined by four independent investigators blinded to vascular markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with the late-NVC pattern exhibited lower EPC levels (P < 0.0001) and higher VEGF levels (P = 0.03). Higher VEGF levels were confirmed to be associated with the late-NVC pattern in the replication cohort (P = 0.01). By multivariate analysis focused on biomarkers, lower EPC (P = 0.03) and higher VEGF levels (P = 0.001) were independently associated with the late-NVC pattern. In an alternate multivariate model including these two factors and SSc-related disease characteristics, lower EPC counts (P = 0.005), higher VEGF levels (P = 0.01), a history of digital ulcers (P = 0.04), and a modified Rodnan skin score > 14 (P < 0.0001) were independently associated with the late-NVC pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data revealed decreased EPC counts and increased VEGF levels in patients with the late-NVC pattern. Further studies are now needed to determine the role of VEGF and EPCs in endothelial injury and repair in SSc.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Avouac
authors.forename: Maeva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vallucci
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Senet
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulli
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizzorni
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frances
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiocchia
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cutolo
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Allanore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D013234:Stem Cells; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A