Clinical characteristics and predictors of gangrene in patients with systemic sclerosis and digital ulcers in the Digital Ulcer Outcome Registry: a prospective, observational cohort
Digital vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis (SSc) consists of a spectrum of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) digital ulcers (DUs) critical digital ischaemia and escalation to gangrene. The complications of severe digital vasculopathy often require hospital based management with intravenous therapies and surgery.1 3 Although gangrene is not infrequent in the clinic, data on the prevalence and implications of gangrene in patients with SSc are scarce.3 7 The DU Outcomes (DUO) Registry is a European, prospective, multicentre, observational cohort of patients with SSc and past and/or current DUs at enrolment.8 10 The aims of the current study were (i) to describe the characteristics of an SSc DU population according to the presence/history of gangrene and (ii) to identify the risk factors for the development of incident gangrene. All patients in the participating centres with SSc and a history or presence of DUs are eligible for inclusion in the DUO Registry, irrespective of their treatment regimen. At enrolment, data were collected on demographic and clinical variables. Patients were categorised into three groups according to their past history of gangrene
Annals of the rheumatic diseases