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Fearn N, Llanos C, Dylke E, Stuart K, Kilbreath S. Quantification of breast lymphoedema following conservative breast cancer treatment: a systematic review. J Cancer Surviv 2023; 17:1669-1687. [PMID: 36301407 PMCID: PMC10539190 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-022-01278-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Breast lymphoedema is a possible side effect of breast conserving surgery, but it is poorly understood. This is due, in part, to difficulty assessing the breast. This systematic review described outcome measures that quantify breast lymphoedema signs and symptoms and evaluated the measurement properties for these outcome measures. METHOD Seven databases were searched using terms in four categories: breast cancer, lymphoedema and oedema, clinician reported (ClinROM) and patient reported outcome measures (PROM) and psychometric and measurement properties. Two reviewers independently reviewed studies and completed quality assessments. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) methodology was used for studies including measurement property evidence. RESULTS Fifty-six papers were included with thirteen questionnaires, eight patient-reported rating scales, seven physical measures, seven clinician-rating scales and four imaging techniques used to quantify breast lymphoedema. Based on COSMIN methodology, one ClinROM had sufficient reliability, ultrasound measuring dermal thickness. Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) measuring local tissue water had promising reliability. Four questionnaires had sufficient content validity (BLYSS, BLSQ, BrEQ and LYMQOL-Breast). CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound is recommended to reliably assess breast lymphoedema signs. No PROM can be recommended with confidence, but BLYSS, BLSQ, BrEQ and LYMQOL-Breast are promising. Further research is recommended to improve evidence of measurement properties for outcome measures. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS There are many approaches to assess breast lymphoedema, but currently, only ultrasound can be recommended for use, with others, such as TDC and questionnaires, showing promise. Further research is required for all approaches to improve evidence of measurement properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Fearn
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Susan Wakil Health Sciences Building, Western Avenue, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Catalina Llanos
- Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Dylke
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Susan Wakil Health Sciences Building, Western Avenue, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Kirsty Stuart
- Westmead Breast Cancer Institute, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sharon Kilbreath
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Susan Wakil Health Sciences Building, Western Avenue, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
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2
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Chen W, Lu W, Yuan Y, Li L, Deng H, Ye X. The role of ultrasound quantitative parameters in the assessment of acute radiodermatitis after breast-conserving surgery. JOURNAL OF RADIATION RESEARCH 2023:7153713. [PMID: 37154691 DOI: 10.1093/jrr/rrad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the severity of acute radiodermatitis (ARD) by ultrasound quantitative parameters and to try to identify the influencing factors of skin toxicity. A total of 55 patients who underwent radiotherapy after unilateral breast-conserving surgery (BCS) were included in the study. The irradiated side of the breast was used as the research object and the quantitative ultrasound parameters (skin thickness, shear wave elasticity) were evaluated before radiotherapy, every week during radiotherapy. Two weeks after radiotherapy, the patients were divided into two groups, according to the World Health Organization scoring standard: mild (0-2 grade) and severe (3-4 grade). The differences in the parameters between the groups and the changes during radiotherapy were compared, and the relationship between these parameters and the severity of ARD was analyzed. In addition, some clinical factors that may affect ARD were also included in our study. Ninety-eight percent of patients developed different degrees of ARD, and Group 2 accounted for ~31%. At the end of 5 weeks of radiotherapy, the difference in thickness between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in the elastic modulus of breast skin between the two groups (P > 0.05). Body mass index >25 kg/m2, breast thickness ≥18 mm, skin basic elastic modulus <23 kPa and skin thickness increment >0.3 mm were considered to be associated with severe skin reactions (P < 0.05). Ultrasound can be a useful tool for the non-invasive and objective assessment of skin changes during radiotherapy, documenting quantitative changes in the skin of breast cancer patients following BCS undergoing radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqin Chen
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Wenjuan Lu
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Ya Yuan
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Hongyan Deng
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Xinhua Ye
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
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3
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Corvino A, Varelli C, Catalano F, Cocco G, Delli Pizzi A, Boccatonda A, Corvino F, Basile L, Catalano O. Use of High-Frequency Transducers in Breast Sonography. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12121960. [PMID: 36556182 PMCID: PMC9786615 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12121960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sonography companies have recently developed high-frequency transducers (20-30 MHz) to image the skin and small joints. In this pictorial review, we present a number of settings where these probes can be usefully employed to scan the breast. These include skin abnormalities of the breast and axilla; nipple-areolar complex abnormalities; superficial breast parenchyma abnormalities; breast parenchyma abnormalities in subjects with implants; very small female breasts; peripheral areas in breasts of any size; pre-puberal breasts; male breasts; post-mastectomy chest wall; and intraoperative breast sonography. Comparatively, side-by-side images obtained with conventional breast frequencies and high frequencies are shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Corvino
- Movement Sciences and Wellbeing Department, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Via Medina 40, I-80133 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Carlo Varelli
- Radiology Unit, Varelli Diagnostic Institute, I-80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Catalano
- Radiology Unit, Varelli Diagnostic Institute, I-80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Giulio Cocco
- Unit of Ultrasound in Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, University “G. d’Annunzio”, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Andrea Delli Pizzi
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio”, I-66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Andrea Boccatonda
- Internal Medicine, Bentivoglio Hospital, AUSL Bologna, I-40010 Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Corvino
- Vascular and Interventional Radiology Department, Cardarelli Hospital, I-80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Basile
- Advanced Biomedical Sciences Department, University Federico II of Naples, I-80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Orlando Catalano
- Radiology Unit, Varelli Diagnostic Institute, I-80126 Naples, Italy
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4
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Hussein FA, Manan HA, Mustapha AWMM, Sidek K, Yahya N. Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Skin Toxicity Following Radiotherapy of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13439. [PMID: 36294025 PMCID: PMC9603505 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The present review aimed to systematically review skin toxicity changes following breast cancer radiotherapy (RT) using ultrasound (US). PubMed and Scopus databases were searched according to PRISMA guidelines. The characteristics of the selected studies, measured parameters, US skin findings, and their association with clinical assessments were extracted. Seventeen studies were included with a median sample size of 29 (range 11-166). There were significant US skin changes in the irradiated skin compared to the nonirradiated skin or baseline measurements. The most observed change is skin thickening secondary to radiation-induced oedema, except one study found skin thinning after pure postmastectomy RT. However, eight studies reported skin thickening predated RT attributed to axillary surgery. Four studies used US radiofrequency (RF) signals and found a decrease in the hypodermis's Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC). Three studies reported decreased dermal echogenicity and poor visibility of the dermis-subcutaneous fat boundary (statistically analysed by one report). The present review revealed significant ultrasonographic skin toxicity changes in the irradiated skin most commonly skin thickening. However, further studies with large cohorts, appropriate US protocol, and baseline evaluation are needed. Measuring other US skin parameters and statistically evaluating the degree of the association with clinical assessments are also encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatimah Alaa Hussein
- Makmal Pemprosesan Imej Kefungsian (Functional Image Processing Laboratory), Department of Radiology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Hanani Abdul Manan
- Makmal Pemprosesan Imej Kefungsian (Functional Image Processing Laboratory), Department of Radiology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
- Department of Radiology and Intervensi, Hospital Pakar Kanak-Kanak (Children Specialist Hospital), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Aida W. M. Mohd Mustapha
- Department of Radiology, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Khairiyah Sidek
- Department of Radiotherapy, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Noorazrul Yahya
- Diagnostic Imaging & Radiotherapy Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Diagnostic & Applied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
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5
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Vergilio MM, Monteiro E Silva SA, Jales RM, Leonardi GR. High-frequency ultrasound as a scientific tool for skin imaging analysis. Exp Dermatol 2021; 30:897-910. [PMID: 33905589 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasonic imaging is one of the most important diagnostic tools in clinical medicine due to its cost, availability and good correlation with pathological results. High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) is a technique used in skin science that has been little explored, especially in comparison with other sites and imaging techniques. HFUS shows real-time images of the skin layers, appendages and skin lesions in vivo and can significantly contribute to advances in skin science. This review summarizes the potential applications of HFUS in dermatology and cosmetology, with a focus on quantitative tools that can be used to assess various skin conditions. Our findings showed that HFUS imaging is a reproducible and powerful tool for the diagnosis, clinical management and therapy monitoring of skin conditions. It is also a helpful tool for assessing the performance of dermatological products. This technique may eventually become essential for evaluating the performance of dermatological and cosmetic products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Massufero Vergilio
- Graduate Program in Internal Medicine, School of Medical Sciences - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Silas Arandas Monteiro E Silva
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Menezes Jales
- Radiology Service of the Women´s Hospital "Prof. Dr. José Aristodemo Pinotti", Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of School of Medical Sciences of Campinas State University (UNICAMP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gislaine Ricci Leonardi
- Graduate Program in Internal Medicine, School of Medical Sciences - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
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6
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Pazdrowski J, Dańczak‐Pazdrowska A, Polańska A, Kaźmierska J, Barczak W, Szewczyk M, Golusiński P, Adamski Z, Żaba R, Golusiński W. An ultrasonographic monitoring of skin condition in patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Skin Res Technol 2019; 25:857-861. [DOI: 10.1111/srt.12745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Pazdrowski
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery The Greater Poland Cancer Centre Poznan Poland
| | | | - Adriana Polańska
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
| | - Joanna Kaźmierska
- Radiotherapy Department II Greater Poland Cancer Center Poznan Poland
- Electroradiology Department University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
| | - Wojciech Barczak
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
- Radiobiology Lab The Greater Poland Cancer Centre Poznan Poland
| | - Mateusz Szewczyk
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery The Greater Poland Cancer Centre Poznan Poland
| | - Paweł Golusiński
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery The Greater Poland Cancer Centre Poznan Poland
| | - Zygmunt Adamski
- Department of Dermatology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
| | - Ryszard Żaba
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
| | - Wojciech Golusiński
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery The Greater Poland Cancer Centre Poznan Poland
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7
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Wang B, Jiang T, Huang M, Wang J, Chu Y, Zhong L, Zheng S. Evaluation of the response of breast cancer patients to neoadjuvant chemotherapy by combined contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and ultrasound elastography. Exp Ther Med 2019; 17:3655-3663. [PMID: 30988749 PMCID: PMC6447770 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.7353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in combination with ultrasound elastography (UE) is able to accurately predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients. A total of 65 breast cancer patients who received NAC at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (Hangzhou, China) between February 2016 and August 2017 and were recruited for the present study. Prior to and after NAC, examination by CEUS, UE or their combination was performed. Pathological results were obtained at the end of each chemotherapy cycle, based on which 41 cases were assigned to the response group and 24 to the non-response group. Kappa values were 0.710, 0.434 and 0.836 for CEUS, UE and CEUS+UE, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for CEUS, UE and CEUS+UE for determining the response to NAC was 0.864 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.765–0.964], 0.715 (95% CI, 0.579–0.850) and 0.910 (95% CI, 0.826–0.993), respectively. It was identified that the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of CEUS+UE were higher than those of CEUS and US individually. The prediction accuracy was 89.2, 90.8 and 100% for CEUS, UE and their combination, respectively. CEUS and UE have their own advantages in evaluating the clinical efficacy of NAC in breast cancer, and a higher accuracy was achieved when the two techniques were applied in combination. Therefore, a combination of CEUS and UE may be a preferred method for the clinical assessment of the efficacy of NAC in breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baohua Wang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Tian'An Jiang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Min Huang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Yanhua Chu
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Liyun Zhong
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
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8
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Smith V, Scirè CA, Talarico R, Airo P, Alexander T, Allanore Y, Bruni C, Codullo V, Dalm V, De Vries-Bouwstra J, Della Rossa A, Distler O, Galetti I, Launay D, Lepri G, Mathian A, Mouthon L, Ruaro B, Sulli A, Tincani A, Vandecasteele E, Vanhaecke A, Vanthuyne M, Van den Hoogen F, Van Vollenhoven R, Voskuyl AE, Zanatta E, Bombardieri S, Burmester G, Eurico FJ, Frank C, Hachulla E, Houssiau F, Mueller-Ladner U, Schneider M, van Laar JM, Vieira A, Cutolo M, Mosca M, Matucci-Cerinic M. Systemic sclerosis: state of the art on clinical practice guidelines. RMD Open 2018; 4:e000782. [PMID: 30402270 PMCID: PMC6203100 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2018-000782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an orphan disease characterised by autoimmunity, fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, and vasculopathy. SSc may be associated with high morbidity and mortality. In this narrative review we summarise the results of a systematic literature research, which was performed as part of the European Reference Network on Rare and Complex Connective Tissue and Musculoskeletal Diseases project, aimed at evaluating existing clinical practice guidelines or recommendations. Only in the domains ‘Vascular & Ulcers’ (ie, non-pharmacological approach to digital ulcer), ‘PAH’ (ie, screening and treatment), ‘Treatment’ and ‘Juveniles’ (ie, evaluation of juveniles with Raynaud’s phenomenon) evidence-based and consensus-based guidelines could be included. Hence there is a preponderance of unmet needs in SSc referring to the diagnosis and (non-)pharmacological treatment of several SSc-specific complications. Patients with SSc experience significant uncertainty concerning SSc-related taxonomy, management (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological) and education. Day-to-day impact of the disease (loss of self-esteem, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and occupational, nutritional and relational problems) is underestimated and needs evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Smith
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Carlo Alberto Scirè
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Epidemiology Unit, Italian Society for Rheumatology (SIR), Milan, Italy
| | - Rosaria Talarico
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Airo
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Tobias Alexander
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yannick Allanore
- Service de Médicine Interne, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.,Centre de Référence Maladies systémiques Autoimmunes Rares d'Ile de France, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Cosimo Bruni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Division of Rheumatology and Scleroderma Unit, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
| | - Veronica Codullo
- Department of Rheumatology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Rheumatology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Virgil Dalm
- Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Alessandra Della Rossa
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Oliver Distler
- Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ilaria Galetti
- Federation of European Scleroderma Associations (FESCA), Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Launay
- Département de Médecine Interne et Immunologie Clinique, Université de Lille, Lille, France.,Centre de Référence des Maladies Systémiques et Auto-Immunes Rares du Nord-Ouest (CERAINO), LIRIC, INSERM, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Gemma Lepri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Division of Rheumatology and Scleroderma Unit, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
| | - Alexis Mathian
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Luc Mouthon
- Service de Médicine Interne, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.,Centre de Référence Maladies systémiques Autoimmunes Rares d'Ile de France, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Barbara Ruaro
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Sulli
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Angela Tincani
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Els Vandecasteele
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Cardiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Amber Vanhaecke
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marie Vanthuyne
- Department of Rheumatology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.,Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Frank Van den Hoogen
- Department of Rheumatology, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Van Vollenhoven
- Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Amsterdam Rheumatology & Immunology Center, Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandre E Voskuyl
- Department of Rheumatology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabetta Zanatta
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Stefano Bombardieri
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gerd Burmester
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fonseca João Eurico
- Department of Rheumatology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Charissa Frank
- Flemish Patient Organization of Hereditary Collagen Disorders in Belgium, Koersel, Belgium
| | - Eric Hachulla
- Département de Médecine Interne et Immunologie Clinique, Université de Lille, Lille, France.,Centre de Référence des Maladies Systémiques et Auto-Immunes Rares du Nord-Ouest (CERAINO), LIRIC, INSERM, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Frederic Houssiau
- Department of Rheumatology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.,Department of Rheumatology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Ulf Mueller-Ladner
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kerckhoff Klinik, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schneider
- Institute for Rheumatology, Hiller Research Unit for Rheumatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jacob M van Laar
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ana Vieira
- Núcleo Síndrome de Sjögren of Liga Portuguesa Contra as Doenças Reumáticas (LPCDR, Portuguese League Against Rheumatic Diseases), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maurizio Cutolo
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marta Mosca
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Division of Rheumatology and Scleroderma Unit, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
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