[Classification of microangiopathy in systemic sclerosis].

Aim: To classify main types of morphological changes of nailfold capillaries in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Material And Methods: Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NCS) was performed in 103 patients with SSc (34 patients with dSSc and 69 patients with ISSc) with a median age of 47.9 +/- 13.3 years and mean disease duration of 8.1 +/- 7.1 years. The control group consisted of 35 healthy persons.

Results: On the basis of a quantitative estimation of changes the main capillaroscopic patterns of structural changes of capillaries in SSc were distinguished. The first (early) type is characterized by changes mainly of sizes of capillaries and a rather moderate decrease of their amount. In the second (transitive) type simultaneously with change of the sizes of capillaries an appreciable decrease of the amount of capillaries with formation of avascular sites is observed. The third (late) type of changes is characterized by marked reduction of capillaries and plenty of avascular sites in the absence or presence of few dilated capillaries. NCS enables to reveal destruction and new growth of capillaries. The statistical analysis has shown authentic distinctions of NCS parameters between main types of changes and close association of these types with activity of the disease.

Conclusion: Definition of a type of capillaroscopic changes can serve a reliable and objective criterion of a stage and activity of microangiopathy in SSc which reflects duration of illness as a whole.