The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients
(1) Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis of skin and visceral organs. In the last decade, attention has been focused on the macrovascular involvement of the disease. In particular, the observation of increased arterial st...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/12/3256 |
| _version_ | 1797486088972926976 |
|---|---|
| author | Michele Colaci Luca Zanoli Alberto Lo Gullo Domenico Sambataro Gianluca Sambataro Maria Letizia Aprile Pietro Castellino Lorenzo Malatino |
| author_facet | Michele Colaci Luca Zanoli Alberto Lo Gullo Domenico Sambataro Gianluca Sambataro Maria Letizia Aprile Pietro Castellino Lorenzo Malatino |
| author_sort | Michele Colaci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis of skin and visceral organs. In the last decade, attention has been focused on the macrovascular involvement of the disease. In particular, the observation of increased arterial stiffness represented an interesting aspect of the disease, as predictor of cardiovascular risk. (2) Methods: We recruited 60 SSc patients (52 ± 12 years old, 90% females) and 150 age/sex-matched healthy controls in order to evaluate both intima-media thickness of the right common carotid artery and arterial stiffness using the B-mode echography and the SphygmoCor system<sup>®</sup> tonometer. (3) Results: The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was higher in SSc patients than in controls (8.6 ± 1.7 vs. 7.8 ± 1.5 m/s; <i>p</i> < 0.001), as was the carotid-radial PWV (7.8 ± 1.1 vs. 6.7 ± 1.4 m/s; <i>p</i> < 0.001). The intima-media thickness was higher in SSc than in controls (654 ± 108 vs. 602 ± 118 µm; <i>p</i> = 0.004). The other parameters measured at carotid (radial strain, Young’s modulus, compliance and distensibility) all indicated that arterial stiffness in tension was more pronounced in SSc. Of interest, the direct correlation between PWV and age corresponded closely in SSc. Moreover, a significant difference between SSc and controls as regards the carotid parameters was evident in younger subjects. (4) Conclusions: SSc patients showed an increased arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls. In particular, an SSc-related pathologic effect was suggested by the more pronounced increase in PWV with age and lower values of carotid elasticity in younger SSc patients than in age-matched controls. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:29:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6250c1379ab6432db90d7ff9a7dca532 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:29:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-6250c1379ab6432db90d7ff9a7dca5322023-11-23T17:12:57ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832022-06-011112325610.3390/jcm11123256The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis PatientsMichele Colaci0Luca Zanoli1Alberto Lo Gullo2Domenico Sambataro3Gianluca Sambataro4Maria Letizia Aprile5Pietro Castellino6Lorenzo Malatino7Rheumatology Clinic, Internal Medicine Unit, AOE Cannizzaro, 95126 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, ItalyRheumatology Unit, ARNAS Garibaldi, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, ItalyRheumatology Clinic, Internal Medicine Unit, AOE Cannizzaro, 95126 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, ItalyRheumatology Clinic, Internal Medicine Unit, AOE Cannizzaro, 95126 Catania, Italy(1) Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis of skin and visceral organs. In the last decade, attention has been focused on the macrovascular involvement of the disease. In particular, the observation of increased arterial stiffness represented an interesting aspect of the disease, as predictor of cardiovascular risk. (2) Methods: We recruited 60 SSc patients (52 ± 12 years old, 90% females) and 150 age/sex-matched healthy controls in order to evaluate both intima-media thickness of the right common carotid artery and arterial stiffness using the B-mode echography and the SphygmoCor system<sup>®</sup> tonometer. (3) Results: The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was higher in SSc patients than in controls (8.6 ± 1.7 vs. 7.8 ± 1.5 m/s; <i>p</i> < 0.001), as was the carotid-radial PWV (7.8 ± 1.1 vs. 6.7 ± 1.4 m/s; <i>p</i> < 0.001). The intima-media thickness was higher in SSc than in controls (654 ± 108 vs. 602 ± 118 µm; <i>p</i> = 0.004). The other parameters measured at carotid (radial strain, Young’s modulus, compliance and distensibility) all indicated that arterial stiffness in tension was more pronounced in SSc. Of interest, the direct correlation between PWV and age corresponded closely in SSc. Moreover, a significant difference between SSc and controls as regards the carotid parameters was evident in younger subjects. (4) Conclusions: SSc patients showed an increased arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls. In particular, an SSc-related pathologic effect was suggested by the more pronounced increase in PWV with age and lower values of carotid elasticity in younger SSc patients than in age-matched controls.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/12/3256pulse wave velocitycarotid distensibilitycarotid strainYoung’s elastic moduluscarotid compliancesystemic sclerosis |
| spellingShingle | Michele Colaci Luca Zanoli Alberto Lo Gullo Domenico Sambataro Gianluca Sambataro Maria Letizia Aprile Pietro Castellino Lorenzo Malatino The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients Journal of Clinical Medicine pulse wave velocity carotid distensibility carotid strain Young’s elastic modulus carotid compliance systemic sclerosis |
| title | The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients |
| title_full | The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients |
| title_fullStr | The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients |
| title_short | The Impaired Elasticity of Large Arteries in Systemic Sclerosis Patients |
| title_sort | impaired elasticity of large arteries in systemic sclerosis patients |
| topic | pulse wave velocity carotid distensibility carotid strain Young’s elastic modulus carotid compliance systemic sclerosis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/12/3256 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michelecolaci theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT lucazanoli theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT albertologullo theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT domenicosambataro theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT gianlucasambataro theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT marialetiziaaprile theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT pietrocastellino theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT lorenzomalatino theimpairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT michelecolaci impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT lucazanoli impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT albertologullo impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT domenicosambataro impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT gianlucasambataro impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT marialetiziaaprile impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT pietrocastellino impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients AT lorenzomalatino impairedelasticityoflargearteriesinsystemicsclerosispatients |