The objectives of this article are to review aspects described in the literature on macrovasculature onset in systemic sclerosis and to assess occurrence and distribution of macrovascular alterations in patients with systemic sclerosis using Doppler ultrasound and ankle-brachial index. In addition, the article evaluates the association of these findings with demographic characteristics, clinical form, clinical course of the disease, Raynauds phenomenon, digital changes, limb ulcers, reabsorption of phalanges, amputation, and risk factors and antecedents of atheromatous disease. A prospective, case series study of 20 patients was performed. The sample was comprised of 19 women, with a mean age of 46.30 years. All patients had objective Raynauds phenomenon, 85% were diffuse, 55% had digital pulp changes, 15% current limb ulcer, 25% reabsorption of phalange, no amputations, and 70% presented one to four risk factors. Studies were performed by color Doppler ultrasound of the aortic and carotid arteries and lower and upper limb arteries to assess thickening of the intima-media complex, presence of plaques and aneurysms. Ankle-brachial index was also performed in lower limb arteries. Ankle-brachial index was normal in all patients, but 12 (60%) had macrovascular disease assessed by Doppler ultrasound, nine (45%) of these in the aorta, six (30%) in the carotid arteries, one (5%) in the upper limb arteries, and seven (35%) in lower limb arteries. There was an association between macrovascular disease and digital pulp changes (p = 0.0045). Macrovascular disease was identified in 60% of the patients via Doppler ultrasound, but not via ankle-brachial index, which resulted normal in all patients. There was a significant association between macrovascular disease and current digital pulp changes, which did not occur with the other variables.
Systemic sclerosis; Doppler effect; atherosclerosis
