POS0891 IMPROVED SURVIVAL IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS PATIENTS DURING LAST DECADE: CURRENT FINDINGS AND COMPARISON WITH DIFFERENT PREVIOUS ITALIAN COHORTS
Authors: Cacciapaglia F. , De Lorenzis E. , Lazzaroni M. G. , Corrado A. , Fornaro M. , Natalello G. , Montini F. , Altomare A. , Urso L. , Cantatore F. P. , Bosello S. L. , Airò P. , Iannone F. 
Published: May 2021

Background:

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic rheumatic disease characterized by an autoimmune disorder with vasculopathy that leads to an excess in collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins deposition. This process results in progressive fibrotic and vascular damage of skin and visceral organs. According to observational studies conducted in last decades, mean survival of SSc patients had improved with significant changes in causes of death.

Objectives:

To assess the 10-years survival in a large Italian multicentre cohort of SSc patients in the last decade compared to previous periods published since the 1980s, and to identify features that can justify any change.

Methods:

We retrospectively analysed all medical records of our longitudinal SSc cohorts, fulfilling 1980 ARA and/or 2013 EULAR/ACR Classification Criteria, with a median (IQR) follow-up of 91.5 (51-120) months from 4 Scleroderma Units since January 2009. All clinical, laboratory and instrumental findings have been recorded and analysed. Survival rate was calculated with Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify any predictor. Then, observed SSc survival was compared to those previously published and to that expected in the general population, calculated using official data published on the website United Nation World Population Prospects (www.macrotrends.net/countries/ITA/italy/death-rate).

Results:

Of 912 SSc patients (91.6% female; mean (SD) age at first non-Raynaud symptom (RS) 51 (15.4) years; median (IQR) disease duration from non-RS 24 (0-84.7) months) diffuse cutaneous involvement was defined in 182 (20%) patients. Anti-centromere and anti-topoisomerase-I were detected in 390 (42.8%) and 302 (33.1%) patients, respectively, while 220 (24.1%) presented antibodies for other extractible nuclear antigens. Prevalent non-Raynaud manifestations were interstitial lung disease detected in 459 (50.3%), digital ulcers in 395 (43.3%) and oesophagopathy in 371 (40.7%) patients, respectively, while other gastrointestinal manifestations were reported in 234 (25.7%) patients. Chronic renal failure was observed in 61 (6.7%) patients and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was confirmed at right heart catheterization in 38 (4.2%) patients. Three hundred twenty-two (35.3%) patients received immunosuppressant, 215 (23.5%) assumed an endothelin receptor antagonist and/or a 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and 72 (7.9%) were treated with a biologic agent. The global 10-years survival was 89.4%; female gender (HR 0.33, CI95% 0.17-0.67), diffuse cutaneous involvement (HR 2.14, CI95% 1.17-3.91), presence of pulmonary hypertension (HR 2.61, CI95%1.31-5.16) and older age at non-RS (HR 1.1, CI95% 1.06-1.12) affected survival. Furthermore, as compared to previous Italian studies, our cohort showed a significant improvement in rate (see Figure 1).

Conclusion:

Survival in SSc patients has improved in last 5 decades but still reduced compared to that expected in general population above all 5 years after diagnosis. Early diagnosis, with reduced renal involvement, along with better screening and innovative therapeutic strategies may explain these achievements.

Figure 1.

Ten-years survival in SSc patients since 2009 (left); comparison of survival across different Italian SSc cohorts (box: current analysis) (right).

References:

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[2]Ferri C, et al. Medicine. 2002; 81:139-53.

[3]Vettori S, et al. Reumatismo. 2010; 62(3):202-209.

[4]Ferri C, et al. Autoimmun Rev. 2014; 13(10):1026-34.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared