The Utility of Plasma Vascular Biomarkers in Systemic Sclerosis: A Prospective Longitudinal Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

In cross-sectional studies, pulmonary hypertension (PH) and ischemic digital lesions are 2 scleroderma vascular outcomes associated with abnormalities in biomarkers of angiogenesis. The clinical usefulness of these biomarkers is unknown, in part due to lack of data on longitudinal measurement. This prospective longitudinal study was undertaken to evaluate vascular biomarker measurements in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) over time.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of 300 patients with SSc who were followed up for at least a 5-year period and lacked evidence of PH and/or active ischemic digital lesions at enrollment. Levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1), soluble endoglin, endostatin, and placental growth factor (PLGF

SUBMITTER: Mecoli CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8214152 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature