While microangiopathy is well-documented in systemic sclerosis (SSc), a potential link between SSc and macrovascular disease is highly debated and remains to be established. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between micro- and macrovascular involvement in the setting of SSc.
Consecutive, consenting SSc patients were assessed by nailfold video-capillaroscopy (NVC) to evaluate the microcirculation. The number of capillaries per mm
A total of 37 patients were studied. A significant correlation was observed between AIx and the average number of capillaries per mm
These data suggest that arterial stiffness (as assessed by AIx-75) correlates with microvascular damage in patients with SSc.