The following is a summary of “Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease in the EUSTAR database: analysis by region,” published in the June 2023 issue of Rheumatology by Lescoat, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to investigate the variations in prevalence, phenotype, treatment, and prognosis of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) among different geographical regions using data from the EUSTAR database.
Patients with SSc-ILD were grouped into seven predetermined geographical regions. Clinical characteristics and survival outcomes were compared among these regions.
A total of 9,260 SSc patients were included in the baseline analysis, with 6,732 patients included in the survival analysis. The overall prevalence of SSc-ILD in the study population was 50.2%, ranging from 44.0% in ‘Western Europe and Nordic countries to 67.5% in ‘Eastern European, Russian, and Baltic countries.’ Across all regions, the presence of anti-topoisomerase antibodies was associated with SSc-ILD. Treatment approaches varied significantly among regions, with mycophenolate mofetil being prescribed at baseline in 31.6% of SSc-ILD patients in ‘America (North and South)’ and 31.7% in ‘The Middle East,’ compared to only 4.3% in ‘Asia and Oceania’ (P < 0.0001). Patients from ‘America (North and South)’ and ‘Middle East’ had the highest survival rates at the end of follow-up (85.8% and 85.2%, respectively).
The study highlighted significant differences in the clinical presentation and prognosis of SSc-ILD among different geographical regions. It also emphasized the substantial variability in the management of SSc-ILD across the regions studied, underscoring the need for standardized medical practices to treat this condition.
Source: academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article-abstract/62/6/2178/6759366?redirectedFrom=fulltext