Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29525847›Full record

Trial reportClinical rheumatology2018

Ultrasound characterization of cutaneous ulcers in systemic sclerosis.

Yossra A Suliman, Suzanne Kafaja, John Fitzgerald, Ximena Wortsman, Jonathan Grotts, Marco Matucci-Cerrinic, Veena K Ranganath, Daniel E Furst

Open access · greenAbstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Clinical rheumatology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.8field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Novel therapies and innovation for systemic sclerosis skin ulceration.Best practice & research. Clinical rheumatology · 2022
    Review
  5. Review
  6. Skin sonography in children: a review.Pediatric radiology · 2022
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Overview of Ultrasound Imaging Applications in Dermatology.Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery · 2021
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 4 countries.

Yossra A SulimanRheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Assiut University Hospital, Assiut, Egypt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2919-1966
Suzanne KafajaDepartment of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
John FitzgeraldDepartment of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Ximena WortsmanDepartment of Radiology and Department of Dermatology, Institute for Diagnostic Imaging and Research of the Skin and Soft Tissues, Clinica Servet, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Jonathan GrottsDepartment of Medicine, Statistics Core, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Marco Matucci-CerrinicDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Veena K RanganathDepartment of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Daniel E FurstDepartment of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. dan@furst.us.com.
University of California, Los Angeles · USInstitute for Diagnostic Imaging and Research of the Skin and Soft Tissues · CLUniversity of Florence · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Skin ulcers in scleroderma (SSc) patients are considered a major challenge, both in clinical assessment and treatment decisions. The objective of our study is to assess ultrasonographic (US) morphology of skin ulcers in SSc patients and evaluate if US will be of value in enhancing our clinical information and influence our management plans. We examined a convenience sample of 21 skin ulcers reported in 10 SSc patients by US. We used a previously published US definition of normal skin and developed a preliminary US definition of skin ulcer. Skin ulcers were evaluated by gray scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) and separated into ulcer and non-ulcer lesions; pain and ulcer measures were obtained using visual analogue scales (VAS). Lesions were characterized and ulcers were clinically and sonographically measured. Ten patients presenting with 21 skin lesions were examined by US. Applying our US definition of skin ulcer, all ulcers were available to measure by ultrasound. Eight lesions were sonographically defined as ulcers, and 13 lesions as non-ulcer lesions. Three ulcers had high PD signals suggestive of infection requiring antibiotic treatment and were monitored for 2 weeks showing a decrease of the pain, VAS, and PD signals. Five lesions showed subclinical calcinosis. This is the first study to show the promising role of US in defining skin ulcers of SSc patients. US may support the assessment of morphology and extent of skin ulcers in SSc and can be a helpful tool for detecting underlying pathology.

Indexed as

AdultAgedCalcinosisFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPainPain MeasurementScleroderma, SystemicSkin UlcerUltrasonography, DopplerSclerodermaSkin imagingSkin ulcersSkin ultrasoundUltrasoundUltrasound dermatologyUltrasound morphea

Identifiers

PMID29525847
OpenAlexW2792021708

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.