Description

Hachulla et al identified prognostic factors for a patient with systemic sclerosis. These can help to identify a patient who may benefit from more aggressive management or a novel therapy. The authors are from multiple hospitals in France participating in the ItinerAIR-Sclerodermie Study.


 

Predictors of increased mortality:

(1) pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to pulmonary fibrosis at baseline (hazard ratio 7.26)

(2) duration of the systemic sclerosis in years (hazard ratio 1.047 per year)

(3) age at first symptoms (hazard ratio 1.052)

(4) Rodnan skin score (hazard ratio 1.045 per point, which can range from 0 to 104)

 

where:

• Age at first symptom plus duration of illness equals current age.

 

Mortality was 8.9% at 3 years.

 

The authors reported that the risk of mortality associated with PAH justifies annual echocardiographic screening for its detection.

 


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