title: Nailfold capillary abnormalities in erectile dysfunction of systemic sclerosis: a EUSTAR group analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to analyse an association between nailfold capillary abnormalities and the presence and severity of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with SSc.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional analysis of the prospective European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Scleroderma Trial and Research database was performed. Men with SSc were included if they had undergone nailfold capillaroscopy and simultaneous ED assessment with the 5-item International Index for Erectile Function (IIEF-5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six men met the inclusion criteria. Eight men (9.3%) had not had sexual intercourse and could not be assigned an IIEF-5 score. Sixty-nine of the 78 men (88.5%) with an IIEF-5 score had nailfold capillary abnormalities, of whom 54 (78.3%) suffered from ED. Nine men (11.5%) had no nailfold capillary abnormalities, of whom six (66.7%) had ED (P = 0.44). ED was more frequent in older men (P = 0.002) and in men with diffuse disease (P = 0.06). Men with abnormal capillaroscopy had a higher median EULAR disease activity than men without (P = 0.02), a lower diffusing capacity of the lung (P = 0.001) and a higher modified Rodnan skin score (P = 0.04), but mean IIEF-5 scores did not differ [15.7 (S.D. 6.2) vs 15.7 (S.D. 6.3)]. IIEF-5 scores did not differ between men with early (n = 12), active (n = 27) or late (n = 27) patterns (IIEF-5 scores of 17.9, 16.3 and 14.7, respectively). There were no differences in the prevalence of early, active and late capillaroscopy patterns between men with or without ED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neither the presence or absence of abnormal capillaroscopy findings nor the subdivision into early, active and late patterns is associated with coexistent ED in SSc.
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Basel University, Burgfelderstrasse 101, CH 4012 Basel, Switzerland. ulrich.walker@usb.ch.
authors: Andrea D
authors: AD
authors: Keck
authors: Chingching
authors: C
authors: Foocharoen
authors: Edoardo
authors: E
authors: Rosato
authors: Vanessa
authors: V
authors: Smith
authors: Yannick
authors: Y
authors: Allanore
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Distler
authors: Bojana
authors: B
authors: Stamenkovic
authors: José Antonio
authors: JA
authors: Pereira Da Silva
authors: Sondess
authors: S
authors: Hadj Khelifa
authors: Lev N
authors: LN
authors: Denisov
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Hachulla
authors: Paloma
authors: P
authors: García de la Peña Lefebvre
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Sibilia
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Airò
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Caramaschi
authors: Ulf
authors: U
authors: Müller-Ladner
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Wiland
authors: Ulrich A
authors: UA
authors: Walker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002196:Capillaries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply
keywords: ageing; erectile dysfunction; nailfold capillaroscopy; pathogenesis; scleroderma pattern; systemic sclerosis; vasculopathy