Plasma Glycosaminoglycan Profiles in Systemic Sclerosis: Associations with MMP-3, MMP-10, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TGF-Beta

Table 3

Correlation analysis between plasma GAGs, TGF-β, MMP-3, MMP-10, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 levels and duration of disease, mRss, CRP, and ESR (Pearson’s correlation coefficients, ).

Parameter	GAGs, ()	TGF-β, ()	MMP-3, ()	MMP-10, ()	TIMP-1, ()	TIMP-2, ()
Duration of disease	0.18 (NS)	-0.08 (NS)	0.41 (0.023)	-0.21 (NS)	-0.23 (NS)	0.03 (NS)
mRss	0.28 (NS)	0.21 (NS)	-0.23 (NS)	0.16 (NS)	0.36 (0.048)	0.10 (NS)
CRP	0.02 (NS)	-0.20 (NS)	0.46 (0.010)	-0.04 (NS)	0.42 (0.02)	-0.04 (NS)
ESR	-0.06 (NS)	0.14 (NS)	0.13 (NS)	-0.24 (NS)	0.07 (NS)	-0.02 (NS)

CRP: C-reactive protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GAGs: glycosaminoglycans; MMP: matrix metalloproteinase; mRss: modified Rodnan skin score; NS: not significant (); TIMP: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase; TGF-β: transforming growth factor beta.