Sex-specific difference in cardiac function in patients with systemic sclerosis: association with cardiovascular outcomes.

Background: Cardiovascular involvement is one of the leading causes of mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is reported to be higher in men as compared with women. However, the cause of this difference is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to assess sex differences in echocardiographic characteristics, including left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS), as a potential explanation of sex differences in outcomes.

Step forward in early recognition of systemic sclerosis: data from the Leiden CCISS cohort.

Background: Since 2009, Dutch patients with a confirmed diagnosis/suspicion of systemic sclerosis (SSc) can be referred to the Leiden Combined Care in Systemic Sclerosis (CCISS) cohort. This study evaluated whether early recognition of SSc has improved over time and whether disease characteristics and survival has changed over time.

Methods: 643 SSc patients fulfilling American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology 2013 SSc criteria were included and categorised into three groups based on cohort-entry year: (1) 2010-2013 (n=229 (36%)), (2) 2014-2017 (n=207 (32%)) and (3) 2018-2021 (n=207 (32%)).

New risk model is able to identify patients with a low risk of progression in systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: To develop a prediction model to guide annual assessment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients tailored in accordance to disease activity.

Methods: A machine learning approach was used to develop a model that can identify patients without disease progression. SSc patients included in the prospective Leiden SSc cohort and fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria were included.