Quantitating skin fibrosis: innovative strategies and their clinical implications.
Skin fibrosis is the final outcome of a variety of pathologic processes ranging from aberrant wound healing (keloids) to environmentally induced conditions (nephrogenic systemic fibrosis) to idiopathic or autoimmune conditions (morphea and systemic sclerosis). The quantitative assessment of skin fibrosis has been a major burden of clinical and biomarker research in the field for the past three decades. Here, we review the efforts that reached some sort of validation and the ones we envisage have the potential for further development focusing on systemic sclerosis as prototype of fibrotic disease.
Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds and NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Wellcome Trust Brenner Building, Level 5, Beckett Street, St James's University Hospital, LS9 7TF, Leeds, UK, g.abignano@leeds.ac.uk.
Giuseppina
G
Abignano
Francesco
F
Del Galdo
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods
D015415:Biomarkers