Is there a link between choroidal and retinal parameters in patients with systemic sclerosis? A prospective study

Authors: Leoniuk, Aleksandra ^a, Pieklarz, Barbara ^a, Gińdzieńska-Sieśkiewicz, Ewa ^b, Szwedowicz, Anna ^a, Obuchowska, Iwona ^a, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia ^b, Konopińska, Joanna ^a, Dmuchowska, Diana A. ^{a, ⁎}

Source: In Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy June 2025 53

EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis: 2023 update

Authors: Del Galdo, Francesco ^{1, 2, ∗}, Lescoat, Alain ³, Conaghan, Philip G. ^{1, 2}, Bertoldo, Eugenia ⁴, Čolić, Jelena ⁵, Santiago, Tânia ⁶, Suliman, Yossra A. ^{7, 8}, Matucci-Cerinic, Marco ⁹, Gabrielli, Armando ¹⁰, Distler, Oliver ¹¹, Hoffmann-Vold, Anna-Maria ¹², Castellví, Ivan ¹³, Balbir-Gurman, Alexandra ¹⁴, Vonk, Madelon ¹⁵, Ananyeva, Lidia ¹⁶, Rednic, Simona ¹⁷, Tarasova, Anna ¹⁸, Ostojic, Pedrag ¹⁹, Boyadzhieva, Vladimira ²⁰, El Aoufy, Khadija ²¹, Farrington, Sue ^{22, 23}, Galetti, Ilaria ²³, Denton, Christopher P. ²⁴, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia ²⁵, Mueller-Ladner, Ulf ²⁶, Allanore, Yannick ²⁷

Source: In Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases January 2025 84(1):29-40

Cohort Enrichment Strategies for Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis From European Scleroderma Trials and Research

Authors: Vacca, Alessandra, Giollo, Alessandro, Balbir-Gurman, Alexandra, Gheorghiu, Ana Maria, Marcoccia, Antonella, Herrick, Ariane, Radic, Mislav, Stamenkovic, Bojana, Anic, Branimir, Granel, Brigitte, Ribi, Camillo, Selmi, Carlo Francesco, Carlos de la Puente, Milano, de Souza Müller, Carolina, Denton, Christopher, Kayser, Cristiane, Tanaseanu, Cristina-Mihaela, Majewski, Dominik, Rimar, Doron, Krasowska, Dorota, Veale, Douglas, Walker, Ulrich, Kerzberg, Eduardo, Rezus, Elena, Zanatta, Elisabetta, Siegert, Elise, De Langhe, Ellen, Oksel, Fahrettin, Ingegnoli, Francesca, Cantatore, Francesco Paolo, Szücs, Gabriela, Cuomo, Giovanna, Seskute, Goda, Litinsky, VilniusIra, Castellví, Ivan, Morovic-Vergles, Jadranka, Sibilia, Jean, Henes, Jörg, Solanki, Kamal, Perdan-Pirkmajer, Katja, Herrmann, Kristine, Saketkoo, Lesley Ann, Stamp, Lisa, Mouthon, Luc, Salvador, Maria João, Pozzi, Maria Rosa, Üprus, Maria, Vanthuyne, Marie, Engelhart, Merete, Köhm, Michaela, Iudici, Michele, Inanc, Murat, Fathi, Nihal, Pamuk, Nuri, García de la Peña Lefebv, Paloma, Carreira, Patricia E., Bancel, Dominique Farge, Moroncini, Luca, Montecucco, C., Ancuta, Codrina, Sunderkötter, Cord, Müller-Ladner, Ulf, Rosato, Edoardo, Kucharz, Eugene J., Iannone, Florenzo, Del Galdo, Francesco, Poormoghim, Hadi, Kötter, Ina, Distler, Jörg, Cutolo, Maurizio, Tikly, Mohammed, Damjanov, Nemanja, Hunzelmann, Nicolas, Vlachoyiannopoulos, P., Hasler, Paul, Sarzi Puttini, Piercarlo, Wiland, Piotr, Becvar, Radim, Yavuz, Sule, Zdrojewski, Zbigniew, Pellerito, Raffaele, Foti, Rosario, Ionescu, Ruxandra Maria, Adler, Sabine, Kahl, Sarah, Moiseev, Sergey, Stebbings, Simon, Rednic, Simona, Negrini, Simone, Heitmann, Stefan, Ullman, Susanne, Agachi, Svetlana, Martin, Thierry, Schmeiser, Tim, Riccieri, Valeria, Smith, Vanessa, Bernardino, Vera, Ortiz-Santamaria, Vera, Hsu, Vivien M., Abdel Atty Mohamed, Walid Ahmed, Hoffmann-Vold, Anna-Maria, Brunborg, Cathrine, Airò, Paolo, Ananyeva, Lidia P., Czirják, László, Guiducci, Serena, Hachulla, Eric, Li, Mengtao, Mihai, Carina, Riemekasten, Gabriela, Sfikakis, Petros P., Valentini, Gabriele, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Allanore, Yannick, Distler, Oliver

Source: In Chest March 2023 163(3):586-598

Stratification in systemic sclerosis according to autoantibody status versus skin involvement: a study of the prospective EUSTAR cohort

Authors: Matucci Cerinic, Marco, Walker, Ulrich, Iannone, Florenzo, Jordan, Suzana, Becvar, Radim, Kowal Bielecka, Otylia, Cutolo, Maurizio, Cuomo, Giovanna, Kedor, Claudia, Rednic, Simona, Avouac, Jérome, Vlachoyiannopoulos, P., Montecucco, C., Stork, Jiri, Inanc, Murat, Carreira, Patricia E., Novak, Srdan, Czirják, László, Iudici, Michele, Kucharz, Eugene J., Zanatta, Elisabetta, Perdan-Pirkmajer, Katja, Coleiro, Bernard, Moroncini, Gianluca, Farge Bancel, Dominique, Airò, Paolo, Hesselstrand, Roger, Radic, Mislav, Braun-Moscovici, Yolanda, Lo Monaco, Andrea, Hunzelmann, Nicolas, Pellerito, Raffaele, Giollo, Alessandro, Morovic-Vergles, Jadranka, Denton, Christopher, Vonk, Madelon, Damjanov, Nemanja, Henes, Jörg, Ortiz Santamaria, Vera, Heitmann, Stefan, Krasowska, Dorota, Hasler, Paul, Kohm, Michaela, Foeldvari, Ivan, Bajocchi, Gianluigi, Salvador, Maria João, Stamenkovic, Bojana, Selmi, Carlo Francesco, Tikly, Mohammed, Ananieva, Lidia P., Herrick, Ariane, Müller-Ladner, Ulf, De Palma, Raffaele, Engelhart, Merete, Szücs, Gabriela, Sobrino Grande, Cristina, Midtvedt, Øyvind, Launay, David, Riccieri, Valeria, Ionescu, Ruxandra Maria, Sha, Ami, Gheorghiu, Ana Maria, Sunderkötter, Cord, Ingegnoli, Francesca, Mouthon, Luc, Smith, Vanessa, Cantatore, Francesco Paolo, Ullman, Susanne, Alberto von Mühlen, Carlos, Pozzi, Maria Rosa, Eyerich, Kilian, Wiland, Piotr, Vanthuyne, Marie, Alegre-Sancho, Juan Jose, Herrmann, Kristine, De Langhe, Ellen, Anic, Branimir, Üprus, Maria, Yavuz, Sule, Granel, Brigitte, de Souza Müller, Carolina, Busquets, Joanna, Agachi, Svetlana, Stebbings, Simon, Mathieu, D'Alessandro, Sampaio-Barros, Percival D., Stamp, Lisa, Solanki, Kamal, Veale, Douglas, Loyo, Esthela, Li, Mengtao, Abdel Atty Mohamed, Walid Ahmed, Gigante, Antonietta, Oksel, Fahrettin, Tanaseanu, Cristina-Mihaela, Foti, Rosario, Ancuta, Codrina, Maurer, Britta, van Laar, Jacob, Kayser, Cristiane, Fathi, Nihal, García de la Peña Lefebvre, Paloma, Sibilia, Jean, Litinsky, Ira, Abignano, Giuseppina, Seskute, Goda, Saketkoo, Lesley Ann, Kerzberg, Eduardo, Bianchi, Washington, Castellví, Ivan, Limonta, Massimiliano, Rimar, Doron, Couto, Maura, Spertini, François, Marcoccia, Antonella, Kahl, Sarah, Hsu, Ivien M., Martin, Thierry, Moiseev, Sergey, Chung, Lorinda S., Schmeiser, Tim, Majewski, Dominik, Zdrojewski, Zbigniew, Martínez-Barrio, Julia, Bernardino, Vera, Sommerlatte, Sabine, Levy, Yair, Rezus, Elena, Nuri Pamuk, Omer, Sarzi Puttini, Piercarlo, Poormoghim, Hadi, Kötter, Ina, Gaches, Francis, Belloli, Laura, Sfikakis, Petros, Markus, Juliana, Feldman, Gary R, Ramazan, Ana-Maria, Scherer, H.U., Truchetet, Marie-Elise, Lescoat, Alain, Dagna, Lorenzo, van Laar, J.M., Rudnicka, Lidia, Oliveira, Susana, Atzeni, Fabiola, Kuwana, Masataka, Mekinian, Arsene, Martin, Mickaël, Tanaka, Yoshiya, Elhai, Muriel ^*, Sritharan, Nanthara ^*, Boubaya, Marouane, Balbir-Gurman, Alexandra, Siegert, Elise, Hachulla, Eric, de Vries-Bouwstra, Jeska, Riemekasten, Gabriela, Distler, Jörg H W, Rosato, Edoardo, Del Galdo, Francesco, Mendoza, Fabian A, Furst, Daniel E, de la Puente, Carlos, Hoffmann-Vold, Anna-Maria, Gabrielli, Armando, Distler, Oliver, Bloch-Queyrat, Coralie, Allanore, Yannick ^*

Source: In The Lancet Rheumatology November 2022 4(11):e785-e794

A comprehensive framework for navigating patient care in systemic sclerosis: A global response to the need for improving the practice of diagnostic and preventive strategies in SSc

Authors: Saketkoo, Lesley Ann, Frech, Tracy, Varjú, Cecília, Domsic, Robyn, Farrell, Jessica, Gordon, Jessica K., Mihai, Carina, Sandorfi, Nora, Shapiro, Lee, Poole, Janet, Volkmann, Elizabeth R., Lammi, Monika, McAnally, Kendra, Alexanderson, Helene, Pettersson, Henrik, Hant, Faye, Kuwana, Masataka, Shah, Ami A., Smith, Vanessa, Hsu, Vivien, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Assassi, Shervin, Cutolo, Maurizio, Kayser, Cristiane, Shanmugam, Victoria K., Vonk, Madelon C., Fligelstone, Kim, Baldwin, Nancy, Connolly, Kerri, Ronnow, Anneliese, Toth, Beata, Suave, Maureen, Farrington, Sue, Bernstein, Elana J., Crofford, Leslie J., Czirják, László, Jensen, Kelly, Hinchclif, Monique, Hudson, Marie, Lammi, Matthew R., Mansour, Jennifer, Morgan, Nadia D., Mendoza, Fabian, Nikpour, Mandana, Pauling, John, Riemekasten, Gabriela, Russell, Anne-Marie, Scholand, Mary Beth, Seigart, Elise, Rodriguez-Reyna, Tatiana Sofia, Hummers, Laura, Walker, Ulrich, Steen, Virginia

Source: In Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology September 2021 35(3)

Oral Glucocorticoids for Skin Fibrosis in Early Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis: A Target Trial Emulation Study From the European Scleroderma Trials and Research Group Database

Authors: Mongin, Denis, Matucci‐Cerinic, Marco, Walker, Ulrich A., Distler, Oliver, Becvar, Radim, Siegert, Elise, Ananyeva, Lidia P., Smith, Vanessa, Alegre‐Sancho, Juan Jose, Yavuz, Sule, Limonta, Massimiliano, Riemekasten, Gabriela, Rezus, Elena, Vonk, Madelon, Truchetet, Marie‐Elise, Del Galdo, Francesco, Courvoisier, Delphine S., Iudici, Michele, Iannone, Florenzo, Kowal‐Bielecka, Otylia, Pizzorni, Carmen, Ciccia, Francesco, Rednic, Simona, Vlachoyiannopoulos, P., Stork, Jiri, Inanc, Murat, Carreira, Patricia E., Novak, Srdan, Czirják, László, Kucharz, Eugene J., Perdan‐Pirkmajer, Katja, Coleiro, Bernard, Moroncini, Gianluca, Farge Bancel, Dominique, Mendoza, Fabian A., Hesselstrand, Roger, Radic, Mislav, Balbir‐Gurman, Alexandra, Monaco, Andrea Lo, Pellerito, Raffaele, Giollo, Alessandro, Morovic‐Vergles, Jadranka, Denton, Christopher, Damjanov, Nemanja, Henes, Jörg, Santamaria, Vera Ortiz, Heitmann, Stefan, Krasowska, Dorota, Hasler, Paul, Russo, Barbara, Kohm, Michaela, Foeldvari, Ivan, Bajocchi, Gianluigi, Salvador, Maria Joao, Stamenkovic, Bojana, Selmi, Carlo Francesco, Tikly, Mohammed, Herrick, Ariane, Muller‐Ladner, Ulf, Søndergaard, Klaus, Puppo, Francesco, Engelhart, Merete, Szücs, Gabriela, Puente, Carlos, Riccieri, Valeria, Ionescu, Ruxandra Maria, Sha, Ami, Gheorghiu, Ana Maria, Sunderkötter, Cord, Distler, Jörg, Ingegnoli, Francesca, Mouthon, Luc, Cantatore, Francesco Paolo, Ullman, Susanne, Muhlen, Carlos Alberto, Pozzi, Maria Rosa, Eyerich, Kilian, Wiland, Piotr, Vanthuyne, Marie, Herrmann, Kristine, De Langhe, Ellen, Anic, Branimir, Baresic, Marko, Mayer, Miroslav, Üprus, Maria, Otsa, Kati, Granel, Brigitte, Souza Müller, Carolina, Agachi, Svetlana, Stebbings, Simon, Mathieu, Alessandro, Vacca, Alessandra, Sampaio‐Barros, Percival D., Stamp, Lisa, Solanki, Kamal, Veale, Douglas, Loyo, Esthela, Tineo, Carmen, Toloza, Sergio, Li, Mengtao, Mohamed, Walid Ahmed Abdel Atty, Olas, Jacek, Oksel, Fahrettin, Yargucu, Figen, Tanaseanu, Cristina‐Mihaela, Foti, Rosario, Ancuta, Codrina, Furst, Daniel E., Maurer, Britta, Laar, Jacob, Olesinska, Marzena, Kayser, Cristiane, Fathi, Nihal, Pena Lefebvre, Paloma Garcıa, Martin, Jorge Juan Gonzalez, Carpentier, Patrick, Imbert, Bernard, Francés, Camille, Senet, Patricia, Sibilia, Jean, Litinsky, Ira, Senécal, Jean Luc, Koenig, Martial, Joval, France, Tamara, Grodzicky, Seskute, Goda, Saketkoo, Lesley Ann, Kerzberg, Eduardo, Bianchi, Washington, Bianchi, Breno Valdetaro, Castellvı, Ivan, Milas‐Ahic, Jasminka, Visevic, Roberta, Rimar, Doron, Couto, Maura, Spertini, François, Marcoccia, Antonella, Kahl, Sarah, Hsu, Vivien M., Martin, Thierry, Moiseev, Sergey, Novikov, Pavel, Chung, Lorinda S., Schmeiser, Tim, Majewski, Dominik, Zdrojewski, Zbigniew, Barrio, Julia Martınez, Khanna, Dinesh, Bernardino, Vera, Santo, Lelita, Levy, Yair, Pamuk, Omer Nuri, Araujo, Daniel Brito, Puttini, Piercarlo Sarzi, Brzosko, Marek, Poormoghim, Hadi, Maman, Marta, Kötter, Ina, Cuomo, Giovanna, Gaches, Francis, Belloli, Laura, Sfikakis, Petros, Markus, Juliana, Furst, Daniel, Ramazan, AnaMaria, Jego, Patrick, Dagna, Lorenzo, Laar, JM, Rudnicka, Lidia, Oliveira, Susana, Atzeni, Fabiola, Kuwana, Masataka, Mekinian, Arsene, Martin, Mickaël, Tanaka, Yoshiya, Yasuoka, Hidekata, Simeon‐Aznar, Carmen‐Pilar, Atsumi, Tatsuya, Parvu, Magda, Cordeiro, Ines, Del Papa, Nicoletta, Karonitsch, Thomas, Bazela‐Ostromecka, Anna, Selvi, Enrico, Kawaguchi, Yasushi, Soukup, Tomas, Rodriguez‐Pinto, Ignasi, Geroldinger‐Simic, Marija, Espinosa, Gerard, Voigt, Karen, Kubacki, Torsten, Garmish, Olena, Mosca, Marta, Gerth, Ulrich, Antonenko, Ludmila

Source: Arthritis Care and Research; May 2025, Vol. 77 Issue: 5 p649-657, 9p

Assessment of interocular symmetry of choroidal vascularity index and thickness in patients with systemic sclerosis: a prospective study.

Authors: Raciborska, Anna, Pieklarz, Barbara, Gińdzieńska-Sieśkiewicz, Ewa, Zonenberg, Agnieszka, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Konopińska, Joanna, Dmuchowska, Diana A.

Source: Frontiers in Medicine; 2025, p1-13, 13p

Outcomes of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis patients: Results on more than 12,000 patients from the EUSTAR database

Authors: Frantz, Camelia, Huscher, Dorte, Avouac, Jérôme, Hachulla, Eric, Balbir-Gurman, Alexandra, Riemekasten, Gabriela, Siegert, Elise, Lazzaroni, Maria-Grazia, Carreira, Patricia E., Vettori, Serena, Zanatta, Elisabetta, Ullman, Susanne, Czirjàk, Laszlo, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Distler, Oliver, Matucci-Cerinic, Marco, Allanore, Yannick

Source: In Autoimmunity Reviews February 2020 19(2)

Serum profile of transferrin isoforms in rheumatoid arthritis treated with biological drugs

Authors: Cylwik, Bogdan, Gruszewska, Ewa, Gindzienska-Sieskiewicz, Ewa, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Chrostek, Lech

Source: In Clinical Biochemistry December 2019 74:31-35

Performance of the EULAR Systemic sclerosis Impact of Disease (ScleroID) questionnaire as a patient-reported outcome measure for patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis.

Authors: Dobrota, Rucsandra, Garaiman, Alexandru, Fligelstone, Kim, Kennedy, Ann Tyrrell, Roennow, Annelise, Allanore, Yannick, Carreira, Patricia E., Czirják, László, Denton, Chris, Hesselstrand, Roger, Sandqvist, Gunnel, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Bruni, Cosimo, Matucci-Cerinic, Marco, Mihai, Carina, Gherghe, Ana Maria, Mueller-Ladner, Ulf, Kvien, Tore, Heiberg, Turid, Distler, Oliver

Source: RMD Open; Oct2024, Vol. 10 Issue 4, p1-6, 6p

Plasma endothelial microparticles reflect the extent of capillaroscopic alterations and correlate with the severity of skin involvement in systemic sclerosis

Authors: Michalska-Jakubus, Małgorzata, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Smith, Vanessa, Cutolo, Maurizio, Krasowska, Dorota

Source: In Microvascular Research March 2017 110:24-31

The role of 12/15-lipoxygenase in production of selected eicosanoids in allergic airway inflammation

Authors: Sacharzewska, Ewa, Bielecki, Pawel, Bernatowicz, Pawel, Niklinski, Jacek, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Kowal, Krzysztof

Source: In Advances in Medical Sciences March 2016 61(1):141-146

Macular choroidal thickness, volume, and vascularity index in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Authors: Pieklarz, Barbara, Gińdzieńska-Sieśkiewicz, Ewa, Zawadzka, Izabela, Bagrowska, Magdalena, Daniluk, Joanna, Palewski, Marcin, Zonenberg, Agnieszka, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Konopińska, Joanna, Dmuchowska, Diana Anna

Source: Graefe's Archive of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology; May2024, Vol. 262 Issue 5, p1475-1487, 13p

Subject Terms: CHOROID, CHOROID diseases, SYSTEMIC scleroderma, OPTICAL coherence tomography, DIABETIC retinopathy, OPTICAL images

Serum levels of CD163 and TWEAK in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Authors: Jasiewicz, Malgorzata, Kowal, Krzysztof, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Knapp, Malgorzata, Skiepko, Roman, Bodzenta-Lukaszyk, Anna, Sobkowicz, Bozena, Musial, Wlodzimierz Jerzy, Kaminski, Karol Adam

Source: In Cytokine March 2014 66(1):40-45

The sCD163/sTWEAK ratio in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultures correlates with disease severity in early systemic sclerosis

Authors: Bielecki, Marek, Kowal, Krzysztof, Sacharzewska, Ewa, Chyczewski, Lech, Car, Halina, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia

Source: In Polish Annals of Medicine December 2013 20(2):95-99

Utility of Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Evaluation of Patients with Connective Tissue Diseases

Authors: Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Kowal, Krzysztof, Chyczewska, Elzbieta

Source: In Clinics in Chest Medicine 2010 31(3):423-431

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in Scleroderma Interstitial Lung Disease: Technical Aspects and Clinical Correlations: Review of the Literature

Authors: Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Kowal, Krzysztof, Highland, Kristin B., Silver, Richard M.

Source: In Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism 2010 40(1):73-88

Cohort Enrichment Strategies for Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis From European Scleroderma Trials and Research.

Authors: Hoffmann-Vold, Anna-Maria, Brunborg, Cathrine, Airò, Paolo, Ananyeva, Lidia P., Czirják, László, Guiducci, Serena, Hachulla, Eric, Li, Mengtao, Mihai, Carina, Riemekasten, Gabriela, Sfikakis, Petros P., Valentini, Gabriele, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Allanore, Yannick, Distler, Oliver, Sfikakis, P

Source: CHEST; Mar2023, Vol. 163 Issue 3, p586-598, 13p

Subject Terms: INTERSTITIAL lung diseases, SYSTEMIC scleroderma, EXPERIMENTAL design, DATABASE design

Purtscher-like Retinopathy in a Patient with Systemic Sclerosis: A Case Report and Narrative Review.

Authors: Pieklarz, Barbara, Gińdzieńska-Sieśkiewicz, Ewa, Zawadzka, Izabela, Bagrowska, Magdalena, Daniluk, Joanna, Konopińska, Joanna, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Dmuchowska, Diana Anna

Source: Biomedicines; Mar2023, Vol. 11 Issue 3, p839, 11p

Subject Terms: SYSTEMIC scleroderma, OPTICAL coherence tomography, VISUAL fields, THERAPEUTICS, AUTOIMMUNE diseases, DIABETIC retinopathy

Use of platelet inhibitors for digital ulcers related to systemic sclerosis: EUSTAR study on derivation and validation of the DU-VASC model.

Authors: Garaiman, Alexandru, Steigmiller, Klaus, Gebhard, Catherine, Mihai, Carina, Dobrota, Rucsandra, Bruni, Cosimo, Matucci-Cerinic, Marco, Henes, Joerg, Vries-Bouwstra, Jeska de, Smith, Vanessa, Doria, Andrea, Allanore, Yannick, Dagna, Lorenzo, Anić, Branimir, Montecucco, Carlomaurizio, Kowal-Bielecka, Otylia, Martin, Mickael, Tanaka, Yoshiya, Hoffmann-Vold, Anna-Maria, Held, Ulrike

Source: Rheumatology; 2023 Supplement, Vol. 62, pSI91-SI100, 10p

Subject Terms: EXPERIMENTAL design, CONFIDENCE intervals, RESEARCH methodology evaluation, RESEARCH methodology, SYSTEMIC scleroderma, PLATELET aggregation inhibitors, DESCRIPTIVE statistics, PREDICTION models, LOGISTIC regression analysis, SKIN ulcers, LONGITUDINAL method, DISEASE complications