Independent predictors of disease presentation
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACA, anticentromere autoantibody; CK, creatine kinase; DLCO, diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; dcSSc, diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis; late and early RO, age at onset of Raynaud’s phenomenon above and below the mean age of all patients; lcSSc, limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; mRSS, modified Rodnan Skin Score; PAH, pulmonary artery hypertension (assessed by echocardiography). | |||
| The variables are calculated by multivariate logistic regression and ranked in columns 1, 2 and 3 according to the magnitude of their explanatory effect (“1” being the strongest predictor). Variables discarded from the model are not listed. Details are described in patients and methods section. | |||
| mRSS above mean | DcSSc | ||
| Active disease | DcSSc | ACA negative | |
| Elevated acute-phase reactants | Not lcSSc | Scl70 positive | |
| Digital ulcers | Scl70 positive | Early RO | |
| Synovitis | ACA negative | ||
| Joint contractures (any joint) | DcSSc | ACA negative | |
| Tendon friction rubs | DcSSc | ACA negative | |
| Muscle weakness | Not lcSSc | ||
| Muscle atrophy | Not lcSSc | ||
| CK elevation | Not lcSSc | ACA negative | |
| Oesophagus | None | ||
| Stomach | None | ||
| Intestine | None | ||
| Pulmonary fibrosis | Scl70 positive | ACA negative | Late RO |
| Lung restrictive defect | DcSSc | Scl70 positive | ACA negative |
| DLCO above mean | ACA positive | ||
| PAH | Late RO | ||
| PAH without fibrosis | ACA | ||
| PAH with fibrosis | Scl70-positive | ACA-negative | |
| Dyspnoea | ACA negative | Late RO | |
| Palpitations | None | ||
| Conduction block | None | ||
| Diastolic dysfunction | Late RO | ||
| LVEF | None | ||
| Hypertension | Scl70 negative | Late RO | |
| Hypertensive renal crisis | DcSSc | Scl70 negative | |
| Proteinuria | Not lcSSc | ||