Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38724227›Full record

ArticleRheumatology (Oxford, England)2025

Arthritis in patients with very early systemic sclerosis: a comprehensive clinical and prognostic analysis.

Sinziana Muraru, Carina Mihai, Muriel Elhai, Mike Becker, Suzana Jordan, Alexandru Garaiman, Cosimo Bruni, Liubov Petelytska, Anna-Maria Hoffmann-Vold, Oliver Distler and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Sinziana MuraruDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Carina MihaiDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Muriel ElhaiDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-8627-5758
Mike BeckerDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-9102-3088
Suzana JordanDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Alexandru GaraimanDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Cosimo BruniDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Liubov PetelytskaDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Anna-Maria Hoffmann-VoldDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-6467-7422
Oliver DistlerDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-0546-8310
Rucsandra DobrotaDepartment of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Funding

AstraZenecaIten-Kohaut foundationIten-Kohaut FoundationOtsukaPfizer
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveArthritis is associated with a worse prognosis in established SSc. However, knowledge about its relevance in very early SSc (veSSc) is scarce. We aimed to assess the prevalence and phenotype of arthritis, as well as its prognostic impact, in patients with veSSc.

methodsWe analysed patients with veSSc, defined as presence of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and/or at least one of: puffy fingers, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), abnormal capillaroscopy, not fulfilling the ACR/EULAR classification criteria for SSc at baseline. We investigated associations between arthritis and clinical parameters, followed by a longitudinal analysis to investigate arthritis as a potential predictor of progression towards established SSc.

resultsWe included 159 patients, of whom 108 had at least one follow-up visit. SSc-related arthritis occurred in 22/159 (13.8%) patients at baseline. Arthritis was mostly seronegative, symmetrical, oligo- or polyarticular, non-erosive, and rarely associated with elevation of inflammatory markers. More than half of the patients needed treatment with DMARDs. Anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) were negatively associated with arthritis (odds ratio 0.707, 95% CI 0.513-0.973, P = 0.033). Overall, 43/108 (39.8%) patients with follow-up progressed to established SSc during the observation time. Arthritis was not a significant predictor for progression to established SSc in a multivariable Cox regression.

conclusionIn this first comprehensive analysis, we found a similar prevalence of arthritis in veSSc as seen in established SSc. Moreover, the use of DMARDs indirectly suggests a relevant disease burden.

Indexed as

ArthritisScleroderma, SystemicAdultAgedAntibodies, AntinuclearAntirheumatic AgentsDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMicroscopic AngioscopyMiddle AgedPrevalencePrognosisRaynaud DiseaseAntibodies, AntinuclearAntirheumatic Agentsarthritisjoint involvementvery early systemic sclerosis

Identifiers

PMID38724227
PMCPMC11879340

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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.