TY - JOUR T1 - Serum relaxin in systemic sclerosis. JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 2164 LP - 2166 VL - 32 IS - 11 AU - Nicola Giordano AU - Panayotis Papakostas AU - Barbara Lucani AU - Alessandra Amendola AU - Fiorenza Cipolli AU - Vita Maria Agate AU - Emilio Battisti AU - Giuseppe Martini AU - Ranuccio Nuti Y1 - 2005/11/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/32/11/2164.abstract N2 - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum levels of relaxin (RLX), a hormone with acknowledged antifibrotic activity, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: We performed a pilot study of 50 outpatients with SSc and 50 healthy subjects. Serum RLX was measured using the relaxin ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test. RESULTS: Serum RLX appeared to be significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients with SSc compared to controls. RLX appeared significantly increased (p < 0.001) in male patients compared to male controls, and in female patients compared to female controls. RLX was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in female patients and female controls compared to male patients and male controls. CONCLUSION: In patients with SSc, the increased level of RLX represents a defensive response against the fibrotic process. ER -