Early systemic sclerosis: short-term disease evolution and factors predicting the development of new manifestations of organ involvement

Table 4 Manifestations of definite SSc at routine examinations in early SSc and UCTD patients at follow-up

	Early SSc (n= 39)					UCTD (n= 37)		P†
	1° y	2° y	3° y	4° y	5° y	1° y	2° y*
Digital ulcers/scars	4	5	5	5	5 (12.8)	0	1 (2.7)
Teleangeactasias (≥2)	7	9	10	10	14 (35.9)	0	0
Skin sclerosis	0	3	4	4	4 (10.2)	0	0
mRSS (median, range)	-	2	3.5 (2 to 8)	3.5 (2 to 8)
Chest X-ray bibasilar lung fibrosis	2	2	2	2	2 (5.1)	0	1 (2.7)
Esophageal dysmotility at barium X-ray	2	2	2	2	3 (7.7)		3 (8.1)
Cardiac blocks and/or Q waves	0	0	1	2	2 (5.1)	0	0
TOTAL					30 (76.9)		5 (13.5)	< 0.0001

All data are expressed as numbers and percentages (in brackets). mRSS, modified Rodnan Skin Score; SSc, systemic sclerosis; UCTD, undifferentiated connective tissue disease; y, year. † statistical difference at the end of the follow-up period; *none of the UCTD patients developed further manifestations of definite SSc after the second year of follow-up.

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