Table 1 Patient characteristics

Age (years)

56 ± 13 (32 to 75)

50 ± 9 (40 to 66)

46 ± 14 (32 to 75)

Sex (% female)

77

67

80

Disease duration (years)

7.9 ± 5.3 (1 to 19)

7.7 ± 6.0 (3 to 19)

8.0 ± 5.2 (1 to 18)

Modified Rodnan skin score

8.3 ± 6.1 (2 to 19)

16.3 ± 3.3 (12 to 19)

5.8 ± 4.3^† (2 to 18)

Organ and tissue involvement

   Pulmonary fibrosis

11 (42)

6 (100)

5 (25)**

   Pulmonary hypertension

5 (19)

3 (50)

2 (10)

   Cardiac involvement

6 (23)

1 (17)

5 (25)

   Gastrointestinal involvement

2 (8)

1 (17)

1 (5)

   Active digital ulcer

7 (27)

0 (0)

7 (30)

   History of digital ulcer

16 (62)

4 (83)

12 (55)

Arteriosclerotic disease

3 (12)

0 (0)

3 (15)

ESR (mm/hour)

19 ± 14

28 ± 20

16 ± 11

Antinuclear antibody positivity

23 (89)

5 (83)

18 (90)

   Anti-centromere antibody

11 (42)

0 (0)

11 (55)*

   Anti-Scl70 antibody

9 (35)

2 (33)

7 (35)

Medication

   Immunomodulatory drug^a

10 (38)

2 (33)

8 (40)

   Steroids

6 (23)

1 (17)

5 (25)

   Iloprost

12 (46)

3 (50)

9 (45)

   Calcium-channel blockers

9 (35)

2 (33)

7 (35)

   Betablockers

1 (4)

0 (0)

1 (5)

   Bosentan

7 (27)

3 (50)

4 (20)

   Sildenafil

3 (12)

0 (0)

3 (15)

   Low-dose aspirin

5 (19)

0 (0)

5 (25)

RAMRIS

6.5 ± 4.7 (0 to 14)

5.4 ± 4.1 (1 to 12)

7.0 ± 5.0 (0 to 14)

Radiographs of the hands

21 (81)

4 (67)

17 (85)

   Signs of arthritis

2 (10)

0 (0)

2 (12)

   Acroosteolysis

9 (43)

2 (50)

7 (41)

   Soft-tissue calcifications

11 (52)

1 (25)

10 (59)

FFbH (% functional capacity)

68.7 ± 22.8 (33 to 100)

58.2 ± 25.2 (39 to 100)

71.9 ± 21.7 (33 to 100)

Health Assessment Questionnaire^b

1.24 ± 0.64 (0.36 to 2.25)

1.54 ± 0.7 (0.36 to 2.08)

1.15 ± 0.61 (0.36 to 2.25)