Clinical and serological correlation of systemic sclerosis in Moroccan patients

• Published in: Rheumatology advances in practice 2023, Vol.7 (2), p.rkad036-rkad036
• Main Authors: Ouazahrou, Kaoutar, El Bakkouri, Jalila, Souali, Manal, Jeddane, Leila, Mokhantar, Khaoula, Errami, Abderrahmane, El Kabli, Hassan, Bousfiha, Ahmed Aziz, Echchilali, Khadija
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autoantibodies; Autoimmunity; Lung diseases; Original; Pulmonary hypertension; RNA; Scleroderma (Disease); Skin; Systemic scleroderma
• ISSN: 2514-1775; 2514-1775
• DOI: 10.1093/rap/rkad036

Abstract Objective SSc is a CTD characterized by excessive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, along with microvascular damage, and is often associated with typical autoantibodies. The aim of this study was to analyse the correlation between specific autoantibody profiles, clinical and paraclinical features in Moroccan patients with SSc. Methods We analysed the presence of specific autoantibodies in 46 SSc patients using IIF on HEp-2 cells and immunodot. We then correlated the types of autoantibodies with clinical and laboratory manifestations. Results Among our patients, 86.9% were females. The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 50.21 years, with an average delay to diagnosis of 5 years. The main clinical manifestations found were RP (89.2%), sclerodactyly (84.8%), proximal scleroderma (67.4%), gastrointestinal involvement (50%) and interstitial lung disease (30.4%). According to the specific autoantibody profile, 14 patients were anti-topo I positive (30.4%), 8 anti-RNP (68 kDa/A/C) positive (17.4%) and 6 anti-RNA polymerase III positive (13%). We found a significant association of anti-RNA polymerase III with sclerodactyly and pulmonary arterial hypertension (P