RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Peripheral Blood Perfusion Correlates with Microvascular Abnormalities in Systemic Sclerosis: A Laser-Doppler and Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy Study JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 1174 OP 1180 DO 10.3899/jrheum.091356 VO 37 IS 6 A1 MAURIZIO CUTOLO A1 CARMELA FERRONE A1 CARMEN PIZZORNI A1 STEFANO SOLDANO A1 BRUNO SERIOLO A1 ALBERTO SULLI YR 2010 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/37/6/1174.abstract AB Objective. To investigate possible correlations between fingertip blood perfusion (FBP) status, assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), and morphological microvascular abnormalities, detected by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC), in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The effects on FBP of intravenous (IV) treatment with the prostacyclin analog iloprost were also investigated. Methods. Thirty-four consecutive patients with SSc and 16 healthy subjects were evaluated. LDF was performed by analyzing blood perfusion at the fingertips in both hands. Patients with SSc were distributed into the appropriate NVC pattern of microangiopathy (early, active, and late). Iloprost was administered to inpatients with SSc by 24-hour IV infusion for 7 consecutive days (4 μg/h). Results. FBP was significantly lower in patients with SSc (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Heating of the LDF probe at 36°C induced a significant increase of FBP in all subjects (p < 0.001), but the slope of variation was significantly lower in patients with SSc compared to controls (p < 0.05). Patients with SSc showing the late NVC pattern of microangiopathy had significantly lower FBP than patients with the active and early NVC patterns (p < 0.05). A negative correlation was observed between FBP and NVC rating of the microvascular damage (p < 0.05). After iloprost treatment, a significant increase of FBP was observed in patients with SSc (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Patients with SSc show a decreased FBP partially reversible by local skin heating. The FBP correlated negatively with the extent of nailfold microvascular damage, and IV iloprost treatment increased the FBP.