Clinical Characteristics of Pruritus in Systemic Sclerosis Vary According to the Autoimmune Subtype.

Greta Gourier (1, 2) , Chloé Théréné (1) , Margaux Mazeas (3) , Claire Abasq-Thomas (1) , Emilie Brenaut (1) , Flavien Huet (1) , Haitham Sonbol (1) , Elize Campillo (3) , Julie Lemerle (2) , Elisabeth Pasquier (3) , Emmanuelle Le Moigne (3) , Alain Saraux (4, 2) , Valérie Devauchelle-Pensec (2, 4) , Laurent Misery (1) , Yves Renaudineau (2, 5)

1 Dermato - BREST - Service de dermatologie
2 LBAI - Lymphocytes B, Autoimmunité et Immunothérapies
3 DMIP - Brest - Département de Médecine Interne et Pneumologie [Brest]
4 Hôpital de la Cavale Blanche - Centre National de Référence CERAINO, Service de Rhumatologie
5 Laboratoire d'Immunologie et Immunothérapie

Pruritus is a frequent symptom in systemic sclerosis (SSc), with a prevalence of 40-65%, but its pathophysiology is poorly understood. This study investigated the immunological component of pruritus. Fifty-six patients with SSc responded to a standardized questionnaire regarding both SSc disease and pruritus characteristics. Among patients with SSc, those with pruritus did not display a particular immunological profile (inflammatory, humoral, and/or cellular factors), but pruritus was, in most cases, concomitant with the development of SSc. Thus, pruritus characteristics were evaluated further, according to the detection of anti-centromere autoantibodies (ACA), into ACA+ (n = 17) and ACA- (n = 19). The ACA+ subgroup was characterized by a longer evolution of SSc and pruritus, pruritus present outside the sclerotic area, and a shorter daily duration of pruritus. In conclusion, the concomitant appearance of the 2 processes and the differences observed between ACA+ and ACA- subgroups support the presence of an immunological component in pruritus.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Greta Gourier, Chloé Théréné, Margaux Mazeas, Claire Abasq-Thomas, Emilie Brenaut, et al.. Clinical Characteristics of Pruritus in Systemic Sclerosis Vary According to the Autoimmune Subtype.. Acta Dermato-Venereologica Supplementum, 2018, ⟨10.2340/00015555-2980⟩. ⟨hal-01812471⟩