Aberrant lipid profiles and lymphocyte counts in systemic sclerosis population, reassessing predictive value for concurrent cardiovascular diseases.

Objective: To investigate alterations in blood lipid profiles and T cell subsets among systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, and to assess their potential utility in predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Methods: 105 SSc patients and 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Flow cytometry was employed to quantify T cell subsets.

Natural killer cells are decreased in systemic sclerosis and have diagnostic value for pulmonary arterial hypertension incorporation.

The aim of this study was to investigate lymphocyte subsets, especially natural killer (NK) cells, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and evaluate the diagnostic value of NK cells in secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A total of 115 SSc patients and 100 age- and sex-matched health controls (HCs) were enrolled in this study. Flow cytometry was employed to quantify NK cells, while the association between NK cells and disease activity as well as PAH was investigated to further elucidate its diagnostic potential.

Changes in peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets and serum cytokines in patients with systemic sclerosis.

T cells represent a predominant cell type in autoimmune disease. However, their exact roles are not fully clear in systemic sclerosis (SSc). This study aimed to mainly investigate the alteration in the absolute numbers of T-lymphocyte subsets and the serum levels of cytokines in SSc patients.