Serum Soluble Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 Overexpression Is a Disease Marker in Patients with First-Time Diagnosed Antinuclear Antibodies: A Prospective, Observational Pilot Study

Table 2

Clinical findings in patients with SSc that received immunosuppression (), measured at baseline and after 3, 5, and 10 months (mean ± SD or median) of treatment.

	ESR; (mm)	CRP; mg/l	HAQ score	VAS; (mm)	ECHO-PAP; (mmHg)	TLCO/VA	ANA titer
Baseline	18.55 ± 17.8	5.8 ± 7.8	0.5 ± 0.6	42.4 ± 31.2	20.1 ± 8.9	87.4 ± 20.7	1 : 10240
3 months	23.0 ± 32.2	5.1 ± 10.4	0.9 ± 0.3	59.6 ± 20.9	n. d.	n. d.	1 : 5120
5 months	11.4 ± 13.1	3.1 ± 7.1	1.2 ± 0.9	58.7 ± 12.3	18.3 ± 6.2	92.6 ± 17.8	1 : 1280
10 months	9.4 ± 10.7	3.1 ± 6.4	1.1 ± 0.5	53.6 ± 13.5	18.5 ± 6.4	88.4 ± 17.0	1 : 1280

Findings are shown as means with exception to the ANA titer that is indicated as median. ANA numerically declined during immunosuppression. Four patients (not shown) did not require medication, due to low clinical disease activity. ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP: C-reactive protein; ANA: antinuclear antibodies; ECHO-PAP: pulmonary-arterial pressure determined by echocardiography; TLCO/VA: pulmonary diffusion capacity; RP: Raynaud phenomenon; HAQ: Health Assessment Questionnaire: VAS: Visual Analogue Pain Scale.