European multicentre study to define disease activity criteria for systemic sclerosis. I. Clinical and epidemiological features of 290 patients from 19 centres

Della Rossa, A; Valentini, G; Bombardieri, S; Bencivelli, W; Silman, AJ; D'Angelo, S; Cerinic, MM; Belch, JF; Black, CM; Becvar, R; Bruhlman, P; Cozzi, F; Czirjak, L; Drosos, AA; Dziankowska, B; Ferri, C; Gabrielli, A; Giacomelli, R; Hayem, G; Inanc, M; McHugh, NJ; Nielsen, H; Scorza, R; Tirri, E; van den Hoogen, FHJ; Vlachoyiannopoulos, PG

dc.contributor.author	Della Rossa, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Valentini, G	en
dc.contributor.author	Bombardieri, S	en
dc.contributor.author	Bencivelli, W	en
dc.contributor.author	Silman, AJ	en
dc.contributor.author	D'Angelo, S	en
dc.contributor.author	Cerinic, MM	en
dc.contributor.author	Belch, JF	en
dc.contributor.author	Black, CM	en
dc.contributor.author	Becvar, R	en
dc.contributor.author	Bruhlman, P	en
dc.contributor.author	Cozzi, F	en
dc.contributor.author	Czirjak, L	en
dc.contributor.author	Drosos, AA	en
dc.contributor.author	Dziankowska, B	en
dc.contributor.author	Ferri, C	en
dc.contributor.author	Gabrielli, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Giacomelli, R	en
dc.contributor.author	Hayem, G	en
dc.contributor.author	Inanc, M	en
dc.contributor.author	McHugh, NJ	en
dc.contributor.author	Nielsen, H	en
dc.contributor.author	Scorza, R	en
dc.contributor.author	Tirri, E	en
dc.contributor.author	van den Hoogen, FHJ	en
dc.contributor.author	Vlachoyiannopoulos, PG	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:51:09Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:51:09Z
dc.date.issued	2001	en
dc.identifier.issn	0003-4967	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/26233
dc.subject.classification	Rheumatology	en
dc.subject.other	SERUM ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES	en
dc.subject.other	SCLERODERMA	en
dc.subject.other	CLASSIFICATION	en
dc.subject.other	INVOLVEMENT	en
dc.subject.other	PREVALENCE	en
dc.subject.other	PROGNOSIS	en
dc.subject.other	SURVIVAL	en
dc.subject.other	SUBSETS	en
dc.title	European multicentre study to define disease activity criteria for systemic sclerosis. I. Clinical and epidemiological features of 290 patients from 19 centres	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2001	en
heal.abstract	Objective-To investigate the existence of differences among European referral centres for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the pattern of attendance and referral and in the clinical and therapeutical approaches. Methods-In 1995 the European Scleroderma Study Group initiated a multicentre prospective one year study whose aim was to define the disease activity criteria in SSc. During the study period each participating European centre was asked to enrol consecutive patients satisfying American College of Rheumatology criteria for SSc and to fill out for each of them a standardised clinical chart. Patients from various centres were compared and differences in epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutical aspects were analysed. Results-Nineteen different medical research centres consecutively recruited 290 patients. The patients could be divided into two subgroups: 173 with the limited (ISSc) and 117 with the diffuse (dSSc) form of the disease. The clinical and serological findings for the series of 290 patients seemed to be similar to data previously reported. However, when the data were analysed to elicit any differences between the participating centres, a high degree of variability emerged, in both epidemiological and clinical features and in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to the disease. Conclusions-The clinical approach to SSc, not only in different countries but also in different centres within the same country, is not yet standardised. To overcome this problem, it will be necessary for the scientific community to draw up a standardised procedure for the management of patients with SSc. This would provide a common research tool for different centres engaged in research on this complex disease.	en
heal.publisher	BRITISH MED JOURNAL PUBL GROUP	en
heal.journalName	ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000168749300011	en
dc.identifier.volume	60	en
dc.identifier.issue	6	en
dc.identifier.spage	585	en
dc.identifier.epage	591	en