Short-term follow-up of digital ulcers by laser speckle contrast analysis in systemic sclerosis patients.

OBJECTIVE

To monitor in systemic sclerosis (SSc) the evolution of digital ulcer (DU) status by analysing blood perfusion (BP) using laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA).

METHODS

Hand BP was recorded by LASCA in twenty SSc patients with recent onset fingertip DUs before and after 10days of local/systemic treatment. Regions of interest (ROIs) to analyse BP were created al the level of ulcer, peri-ulcer, periungual and fingertip areas. Visual analogue pain scale (VAS) was also administered to patients before and after follow-up.

RESULTS

A statistically significant increase of BP was observed from T0 to T1 in the ROIs created at the level of the ulcer area (p<0.0001), as well as a significant decrease of BP was observed in the peri-ulcer area (p<0.0001). A statistically significant decrease of both ulcer size (p<0.0001) and VAS (p=0.001) was observed, whereas no significant variation of both periungual and fingertip BP was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

LASCA may safely monitor DU evolution in SSc patients, by evaluating its blood perfusion and area during standard treatment. This may be useful to monitor DU evolution during treatment in clinical trials.