Evaluation of the capillaroscopy using endothelin-1 as a marker of endothelial activation in microvascular injury and cutaneous ulcerations.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the presence of ET-1 in patients with scleroderma and its correlation with the level of disease activity; to verify if the levels of endothelin are associated with the clinical profile and autoantibodies of scleroderma, and even if there is an association with microvascular injury detected by nailfold capillaroscopy. METHODS A total of 74 patients, 37 patients with scleroderma, the remaining being controls, were subjected to measurement of ET-1 by ELISA. Patients with scleroderma were evaluated through a questionnaire about characteristics of the disease and determination of autoantibodies. Disease severity was defined by the criteria of Medsger and microvascular disease was accessed through nailfold capillaroscopy. RESULTS Of the 37 patients with scleroderma, three (8.1%) were men and 34 (91.89%) women, with a mean age of 48.97 ± 13.36 years and mean disease duration of 42.54 ± 13, 35. The amounts of ET-1 in the controls was 0.41 to 5.65 pg / ml (median of 2.26 pg / ml) and, in the scleroderma group, from 0.41 to 8.82 pg / ml (median, 0.41 pg / ml), with p = 0.0007. There was no correlation with disease duration, patient age and the degree of skin involvement. No correlation was found between serum levels of ET-1 and disease severity (p = 0.13). Higher levels of ET-1 were observed in the form of overlap (1.49 to 6.82 pg / ml). CONCLUSION The levels of ET-1 in scleroderma were inferior to controls. There was no association of ET-1 levels with the variables studied.