High frequency ultrasound of skin involvement in systemic sclerosis – a follow-up study

Table 3 Comparison between patients with significant increase or decrease in skin thickness measured by ultrasound at different sites in relation to other assessments of skin fibrosis

Site of US exam	ΔThickness, direction of change (n)	mRSS, baseline (median)	p	ΔmRSS (median)	p	COMP baseline (median)	p	ΔCOMP (median)	p	HAMIS baseline (median)	p	ΔHAMIS	p
Finger	Increase, (18)	9.5	0.250	1.0	0.095	11.7	0.497	1.0	0.150	4.0	0.106	1.5	0.374
Finger	Decrease, (27)	11.0	0.250	−1.0	0.095	12.3	0.497	−1.0	0.150	7.5	0.106	−1.0	0.374
Hand	Increase, (21)	10.0	0.231	0.0	0.016	12.0	0.750	0.0	0.203	5.0	0.417	0.0	0.540
Hand	Decrease, (27)	10.0	0.231	−3.0	0.016	12.0	0.750	−1.6	0.203	7.5	0.417	−1.0	0.540
Forearm	Increase, (18)	11.0	0.991	1.5	0.051	15.0	0.467	0.0	0.089	7.0	0.484	4.0	<0.001
Forearm	Decrease, (30)	10.5	0.991	−1.0	0.051	12.0	0.467	−1.0	0.089	5.0	0.484	−1.0	<0.001
Leg	Increase, (18)	9.5	0.423	2.0	0.007	15.0	0.029	−0.5	0.986	5.0	0.583	3.0	0.180
Leg	Decrease, (29)	10.0	0.423	−1.0	0.007	11.7	0.029	−0.5	0.986	7.0	0.583	0.0	0.180
Chest	Increase, (19)	11	0.435	0.5	0.287	15.0	0.029	−1.0	0.940	7.0	0.796	0.0	0.444
Chest	Decrease, (41)	10	0.435	0.0	0.287	11.7	0.029	0.0	0.940	6.0	0.796	0.0	0.444
Total	Increase, (21)	11	0.802	1	0.019	12.7	0.363	0.0	0.217	5.5	0.344	5.0	0.002
Total	Decrease, (37)	10	0.802	−2	0.019	12.0	0.363	−1.6	0.217	8.0	0.344	−1.5	0.002

Increase in hand skin thickness was associated with absence of improved mRSS. Increase in forearm skin thickness was associated with worsening hand function. Increase in skin thickness on leg and chest was preceded by high levels of the fibrosis biomarker COMP
US ultrasound, mRSS modified Rodnan skin score, COMP cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, HAMIS hand mobility in scleroderma test
Note to reviewer: The numbers describing COMP baseline with Δthickness on leg and chest are by chance identical, this has been controlled

ISSN: 1478-6362