Anti-Ro52 positivity is associated with progressive interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis-an exploratory study.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most common cause of death in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Prognostic biomarkers are needed to identify SSc-ILD patients at risk for progressive pulmonary fibrosis. This study investigates autoantibodies measured in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and in serum in reference to the clinical disease course of SSc-ILD.

Treatment with mycophenolate mofetil is associated with improved nailfold vasculature in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To investigate the evolution of nailfold capillary density in patients with SSc in relation to immunosuppressive treatment and autoantibodies.

Methods: This was a prospective study cohort. Consecutive newly diagnosed SSc patients were included into this study who, in a retrospective review, had at least two nailfold capillary microscopy measurements performed during the first 48 months of follow-up.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 expression is not associated with an activated fibroblast phenotype in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) has been proposed as a marker for activated fibroblasts in fibrotic disease. We aimed to investigate whether a profibrotic DPP4 phenotype is present in lung tissue from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The presence of DPP4 fibroblasts in normal and IPF lung tissue was investigated using flow cytometry and immunohistology.