Publications by authors named "Ilenia Molinaro"
Increased intrarenal arterial stiffness may predict the occurrence of new digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)
September 2014
Objective: Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) are at high risk for the development of ischemic digital ulcers (DUs), which occur in 35-60% of SSc patients. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between intrarenal arterial stiffness and DUs in SSc patients and to evaluate the prognostic value of Doppler indices to predict new DU occurrence.
Methods: Seventy unselected, consecutive patients with SSc (58 women and 12 men, mean ± SD age 49.
Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystemic chronic disease that is complicated by protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Considering that PEM also may influence left ventricular mass (LVM), the aim of this study was to evaluate whether LVM is related to patients' nutritional status and to determine clinically relevant features of SSc.
Methods: Adult patients referring to our institution were considered.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate clitoral blood flow in SSc women compared with healthy controls and to correlate it with microvascular damage and disease clinical variables. We also evaluated the correlation between clitoral blood flow and sexual dysfunction.
Methods: Twenty-two SSc women and 20 healthy controls matched for sex and age were enrolled in this study.
Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) prevalence in men with systemic sclerosis (SSc) is high and can be considered a manifestation of endothelium damage.
Aim: This study aims to correlate ED with endothelial dysfunction and digital vascular damage in SSc patients.
Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures were erectile function, Doppler indices of cavernous arteries, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), capillaroscopic damage, skin perfusion, and digital pulsatility.
Objective: Renal involvement in SSc is often subclinical and chronic kidney disease (CKD) develops, with slow worsening of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The present investigation was undertaken in order to study how well the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) correlates with measured GFR (mGFR) in a group of SSc patients with serum creatinine (sCr) in the normal range.
Methods: Forty-one scleroderma patients (37 females and 4 males) with a median age of 46 years were enrolled.
Objectives: To evaluate intrarenal arterial stiffness by Doppler ultrasound and examine the correlation between renal Doppler indices, glomerular filtration rate, and digital microvascular damage in systemic sclerosis patients.
Methods: Thirty systemic sclerosis patients and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Doppler indices of intrarenal arterial stiffness, peak systolic flow velocity, end diastolic flow velocity, resistive index, pulsative index, and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio were measured on the interlobar artery of both kidneys.
Objective: To assess morphology and blood flow of the proper palmar digital arteries (PPDA) by color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) and its relationship with nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), skin blood perfusion and digital arteries pulsatility of hands in SSc patients and healthy controls.
Methods: CDUS, NVC, laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) and photoplethysmography (PPG) were performed in 36 systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and 20 healthy controls.
Results: CDUS was pathologic in 69% of patients with SSc and in none of healthy controls (p<0.
Objectives: To assess by Laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) skin blood perfusion of hands in patients with SSc and primary RP (PRP) at baseline and after cold stimulation (CS). In SSc patients, the associations between skin perfusion and nailfold video capillaroscopy (NVC) patterns were also evaluated.
Methods: Forty patients with SSc, 38 patients with PRP and 32 healthy controls were recruited.
Background: The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with systemic sclerosis (SSc) can be considered a manifestation of endothelium damage. Aim of the study is to investigate ED in SSc patients by color Doppler ultrasound examination and to correlate it with disease severity and digital vascular damage.
Methods: In 20 males SSc patients blood flow velocity in the cavernous artery was determined with Duplex ultrasonography.
Article Synopsis
- Digital ulcers (DUs) and gangrene are frequent skin issues in connective tissue diseases like systemic sclerosis, with 95% of patients experiencing Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), leading to DUs in about 30%.
- While RP is common in various conditions, DUs are rare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and don't typically appear at disease onset.
- This case report highlights a young woman where DUs were the first sign of SLE, along with indications of a scleroderma pattern and high pulmonary arterial pressure.
Introduction: The aim of this study is to investigate pulsatility of digital arteries of hands by means of photoplethysmography (PPG) in patients with primary Raynaud phenomenon (PRP) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to compare the results with those obtained in healthy controls.
Methods: One hundred five patients with SSc, 96 patients with PRP and 85 healthy controls were recruited in this study. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy and PPG were performed in healthy controls and patients.
Objective: Our aim was to investigate effects of bosentan on hand perfusion in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), using laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI).
Methods: We enrolled 30 SSc patients with PAH, 30 SSc patients without PAH, and 30 healthy controls. In SSc patients and healthy controls at baseline, skin blood flow of the dorsum of the hands was determined with a Lisca laser Doppler perfusion imager.