AB1076 COLOR DOPPLER HIGH- FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND OF DIGITAL ARTERIES IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) can lead to vascular complications such as digital ulcers or pitting scars (DU/PS). These changes develop in most patients with SSc and exacerbate their condition. However, there are no methods for dynamic assessment of the vascular involvement. The dynamics of capillaroscopic changes is very slow. Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare blood flow parameters of digital arteries in SSc patients and healthy individuals and to compare with nailfold capillaroscopy and clinical signs of ischemia (DU/PS). Methods: 32 SSc patients, mean age 49,5 [42,0; 59,0] yrs and 26 ‘healthy’, mean age 43,5 [33,0; 57,0], were included. Groups of patients differed by gender and age. The exclusion criterion was the presence of obliterating vascular disease of the upper extremities. An Esaote MyLab Twice US system with 22 MHz linear probe was used. A total of SSc patients and controls underwent Color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) of 376 (256 + 208) digital arteries to compare blood flow velocity, resistive indices (RIs) and presence of occlusion. Nailfold capillaroscopy, clinical and laboratory data were also evaluated. Results: In digital arteries, pulsatility index (PI), peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) were significantly lower and RI higher in SSc patients compared with controls (PSV: 13,28 [9,88; 16,7] vs17,45 [12,65; 22,5] cm/s, p=0,008; EDV: 2,68 [1,78, 4,05] vs 6,37 [4,75; 8,5] cm/s, p=0,000; RI: 0,78 [0,69; 0,81] vs 0,68 [0,59; 0,74], p=0,005; PI: 1,73 [1,32; 2,19] vs 1,22 [0,99; 1,55], p=0,002). We did not find any correlation between two methods. Also, we did not reveal any correlation between DU/PS, clinical, laboratory data and CDUS, but we found relationship between DU/PS and avascular areas or capillaroscopic findings (r= 0,37, p=0,045 and r= 0,40, p=0,03 correspondingly). Conclusion: Blood flow is significantly decreased in digital arteries in SSc, but clinical features of vasculopathy depend on microcirculatory disorders. It is important to continue research to find methods for dynamic evaluation of microcirculatory changes. References: no Disclosure of Interests: None declared