Judith Wienke, Jorre S Mertens, Samuel Garcia, Johan Lim, Camiel A Wijngaarde, Joo Guan Yeo, Alain Meyer, Lucas L van den Hoogen, Janneke Tekstra, Jessica E Hoogendijk, Henny G Otten, Ruth D E Fritsch-Stork, Wilco de Jager, Marieke M B Seyger, Rogier M Thurlings, Elke M G J de Jong, Anneke J van der Kooi, W Ludo van der Pol, Thaschawee Arkachaisri, Timothy R D J Radstake, Annet van Royen-Kerkhof, Femke van Wijk
OBJECTIVES: Vasculopathy is an important hallmark of systemic chronic inflammatory connective tissue diseases (CICTD) and is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated disease-specific biomarker profiles associated with endothelial dysfunction, angiogenic homeostasis and (tissue) inflammation, and their relation to disease activity in rare CICTD. METHODS: A total of 38 serum proteins associated with endothelial (dys)function and inflammation were measured by multiplex-immunoassay in treatment-naive patients with localized scleroderma (LoS, 30), eosinophilic fasciitis (EF, 8) or (juvenile) dermatomyositis (34), 119 (follow-up) samples during treatment, and 65 controls...
August 18, 2020: Rheumatology