title: Vascular biomarkers and correlation with peripheral vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Vascular disease is a hallmark of systemic sclerosis (SSc). It is present in every patient, being responsible both for the earliest clinical manifestations and the major life-threatening complications of the disease, and thus determining important morbidity and mortality. In SSc, progressive vascular injury leads to vascular tone dysfunction and reduced capillary blood flow, with consequent tissue ischemia and chronic hypoxia. These phenomena are often accompanied by abnormal levels of vascular factors. Microangiopathy in SSc may be easily assessed by nailfold videocapillaroscopy. The variety of derangements detected in the nailfold capillaries is accompanied by abnormal levels of different vascular mediators and appears to be the best evaluable predictor of the development of peripheral vascular complications, such as digital ulcers. The purpose of this review is to summarize in SSc the most relevant vascular biomarkers and the main associations between vascular biomarkers and capillaroscopic parameters and/or the presence of digital ulcers. Vascular biomarkers could become useful predictive factors of vascular damage in SSc, allowing an earlier management of vascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, São João Hospital Center, Al Prof Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. Electronic address: i_chora@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chora
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guiducci
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Celestina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellando-Randone
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ibba-Manneschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matucci-Cerinic
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al Prof Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D043165:Angiostatic Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D043165:Angiostatic Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018925:Chemokines
keywords: Angiogenesis; Biomarkers; Capillaroscopy; Digital ulcers; Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma); Vasculopathy