360 an Elevated Circulating Level of Periostin in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: Associations with Functional Impairment in Various Affected Organs

Purpose: We have previously reported increased periostin levels in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We further analyzed circulating periostin levels in associations with clinical phenotypes including organ involvements in larger SSc samples. Methods: We enrolled 385 patients with SSc and 204 controls. Circulating periostin levels were determined by ELISA, and univariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to examine their correlations with disease duration, antibody profiles, the modified Rodnan total skin thickness score (mRSS), and SSc-related organ involvements. Available serial samples were analyzed to evaluate if a consecutive variation of periostin reflect a change of mRSS. Results: One hundred and forty-six patients were classified as having diffuse cutaneous SSc, and 78, 169, 29, 209, 21, and 6 of SSc patients had digital ulcers (DU), interstitial lung disease (ILD), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), gastrointestinal involvement (GI), heart and renal involvements, respectively. Higher periostin levels were observed in dcSSc, shorter disease duration, higher mRSS, and positive for anti-topo I and -RNAPIII Abs. Multivariate analysis revealed that elevated periostin was an independent parameter associated with the presence of DU, ILD, PAH, GI, and heart involvement. mRSS was strongly associated with periosin level, disease duration, anti-topo I and anti-RNAPIII Abs. Finally, serial variation of periostin correlated with a change of mRSS. Conclusion: Elevated circulating periostin in SSc patients was strongly associated with mRSS and the presence of SSc-related organ involvements.