Angiogenic and angiostatic factors in systemic sclerosis: increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor are a feature of the earliest disease stages and are associated with the absence of fingertip ulcers

Table 2 Association of endostatin levels and capillaroscopy findings

	Status	Median (ng/ml)	Range (ng/ml)	P value
Avascular areas	Present (n = 14)	20	4–750	0.13
	Absent (n = 28)	17	0–750
Giant capillaries	Present (n = 19)	6	0–750	0.02
	Absent (n = 23)	20	4–750
Hemorrhages	Present (n = 15)	18	0–750	0.19
	Absent (n = 27)	20	4–750
Pericapillary edema	Present (n = 37)	18	0–750	0.18
	Absent (n = 5)	20	6–650

Patients without giant capillaries showed significantly higher levels of endostatin than patients with giant capillaries. Similarly, there was a trend towards higher levels of endostatin in patients with avascular areas and in patients that did not have nailfold microhemorrhages and pericapillary edema.

ISSN: 1478-6362