Blood levels of three types of immune cells — neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes — may be associated with digital ulcers and disease severity in systemic sclerosis, researchers report. Their study, “Association of simple hematological parameters with disease manifestations, activity, and severity in patients with systemic sclerosis,”…
Certain clinical characteristics that researchers suggest could be potentially useful indicators of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients were recently identified in a study. Findings indicated that longer disease duration, positive anti-Scl70 antibody titers, higher white blood cell and platelet counts, greater erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels,…
A protein involved in inflammation and tissue regrowth — HMGB1 — may be the main driver of blood vessel damage and tissue fibrosis in scleroderma, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target, according to a study. The study, “Platelet microparticles sustain autophagy-associated activation of neutrophils in…
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