Lower Extremity Ulcers in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

作     者：Marta B. Bean Chris T. Derk Marta B. Bean;Chris T. Derk

作者机构：Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia USA Division of Rheumatology Clinical Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia USA 

出 版 物：《Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases》 (风湿病与自身免疫疾病期刊（英文）)

年 卷 期：2022年第12卷第1期

页      面：35-45页

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100201[医学-内科学(含：心血管病、血液病、呼吸系病、消化系病、内分泌与代谢病、肾病、风湿病、传染病)] 10[医学] 

主　　题：Lower Extremity Ulcers Systemic Sclerosis Scleroderma Peripheral Vascular Disease Venous Stasis 

摘      要：Introduction: Cutaneous manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc) include skin ulceration;4% - 12% of patients with SSc develop lower extremity ulcers of various etiologies. Limited data, significant morbidity, and substantial cost of wound care led us to undertake this study to describe and identify risk factors. Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, we identified 30 patients with SSc and lower extremity ulcers over a 10-year period at a single center with an SSc clinic, which were included in a descriptive analysis. Results: Median age of onset of lower extremity ulcers was 59.5 years (range 20 - 84). Ninety percent of patients were female, 60% were Caucasian, 63% had limited SSc, 13% diffuse SSc and 23% an overlap syndrome. Immunomodulators or steroids were prescribed in 53%;hypercoagulable state identified in 16%. Ulcers were attributed to venous stasis (27%), SSc (20%), trauma (20%), arterial disease (17%), and multifactorial/unknown (17%). In patients with ulcers attributed to SSc, age at onset was lower (45.5 vs 59.5 years). Biopsies generally did not contribute to management. Multidisciplinary treatment was routine;20% required amputation, 10% endovascular intervention, 20% frequent surgical debridement, 10% hyperbaric oxygen, 26% local treatment and antibiotics and 13% received immunosuppression for wound treatment. Conclusion: Lower extremity ulcers are a serious clinical problem in patients with SSc. The clinical exam, venous dopplers, ankle-brachial indices and assessment of vascular risk factors helped define causality. In younger patients, ulcers were more frequently attributed to SSc and these patients were more likely to be on immunosuppressants/DMARDS, possibly indicating severe phenotype of SSc.