RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Noninvasive Measurement of Skin Autofluorescence Is Increased in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: An Indicator of Increased Advanced Glycation Endproducts?
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.111359
DO 10.3899/jrheum.111359
A1 Andrea K.  Murray
A1 Tonia L.  Moore
A1 Joanne B.  Manning
A1 Christopher E.M.  Griffiths
A1 Ariane L.  Herrick
YR 2012
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2012/06/25/jrheum.111359.abstract
AB Objective Skin autofluorescence noninvasively assesses expression of advanced glycation endproducts and therefore potentially the presence of oxidative stress that is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated whether autofluorescence was increased in patients with SSc, primary Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), and morphea as compared to healthy controls. Methods Measurements of autofluorescence were made at 5 upper limb sites in 16 healthy controls, 16 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), 15 with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc), 15 with primary RP, and 13 with morphea. For patients with morphea, additional measurements were made at the affected and an adjacent unaffected site. Results Autofluorescence was significantly increased in patients with dcSSc but not lcSSc as compared to controls at the proximal phalanx [dcSSc median 0.15, interquartile range (IQR) 0.10–0.24, vs control 0.10, IQR 0.07–0.13; p = 0.014], dorsum of the hand (dcSSc 0.17, IQR 0.11–0.36, vs control 0.12, IQR 0.09–0.17; p = 0.031), the wrist (dcSSc 0.22, IQR 0.13–0.33, vs control 0.13, IQR 0.09–0.18; p = 0.005), and forearm (dcSSc 0.19, IQR 0.12–0.47, vs control 0.14, IQR 0.10–0.16; p = 0.022). There was a trend for autofluorescence to be increased in patients with lcSSc and at morphea sites, compared to noninvolved skin. Conclusion Autofluorescence is increased in patients with dcSSc compared to primary RP and to healthy controls. This suggests increased oxidative stress and the potential for autofluorescence as a biomarker.