Efficacy of adjunctive ambrisentan treatment for digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis: a case series study

Figures & data

Table 1. Comparisons of study population.

Variables	Baseline	16 Weeks	p-Value	2 Years
Gender
Male	4 (36.4%)
Female	7 (63.6%)
Age, years	54.0 (35.0–63.0)
Number of DUs	3.0 (2.0–4.0)	0.0 (0.0–1.0)	<0.05	0.0 (0.0–0.0)
Size of DUs	0.4 (0.3–0.5)	0.0 (0.0–0.1)	<0.05	0.0 (0.0–0.0)
VAS	5.0 (4.0–6.0)	0.0 (0.0–1.0)	<0.05	0.0 (0.0–0.0)
Frequency of RP attacks, per week	38.5 (31.5–52.5)	2.5 (1.5–3.5)	<0.05	0.5 (0.0–1.5)
Duration of RP attacks, minutes/time	10.0 (7.5–15.0)	3.0 (1.5–4.5)	<0.05	1.5 (0.0–2.0)

Abbreviations: DUs: digital ulcers; VAS: Visual Analogue Scale; RP: Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Data are presented as median (interquartile range). P-value < 0.05 are shown in bold.

Figure 1. Digital ulcers (DUs) (a) before, (b) at 4th week, and (c) at 8th week after adjunctive ambrisentan treatment are indicated with the arrow. The appearance of DUs are round or oval, in different sizes of about 4 mm in diameter and about 2 mm in depth; flat edges: normal surrounding skin and pink fundus.

Table 2. Comparison of study populations divided by seasons.

	Spring		Summer		Autumn		Winter
Variable	Baseline	16 Weeks	Baseline	16 Weeks	Baseline	16 Weeks	Baseline	16 Weeks	p-Value
Gender
Male	2 (100.0)		1 (100.0)		1 (33.3)		3 (60.0)
Female	0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)		2 (66.7)		2 (40.0)
Age, years	45.5 (30.0–61.0)		54.0 (54.0–54.0)		35.0 (29.0–63.0)		57.0 (49.0–65.0)
Number of DUs	4.0 (3.0–5.0)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	2.0 (2.0–2.0)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	1.0 (1.0–5.0)	0.0 (0.0–3.0)	3.0 (2.0–3.0)	1.0 (0.0–1.0)	0.13
Size of DUs	0.5 (0.5–0.5)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	0.1 (0.1–0.1)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	0.4 (0.2–0.5)	0.0 (0.0–0.3)	0.4 (0.4–0.6)	0.1 (0.0–0.1)	0.08
VAS	6.0 (5.0–7.0)	0.0 (0.0–0.0)	9.0 (9.0–9.0)	0.5 (0.5–0.5)	4.0 (3.0–6.0)	0.0 (0.0–0.5)	5.0 (4.0–6.0)	1.0 (0.0–2.0)	0.19
Frequency of RP attacks, per week	61.3 (52.5–70.0)	6.5 (2.5–10.5)	31.5 (31.5–31.5)	2.3 (2.3–2.3)	38.5 (10.5–38.5)	2.5 (2.5–2.5)	31.5 (31.5–38.5)	1.5 (1.5–3.5)	0.26
Duration of RP attacks, minutes/time	17.5 (15.0–20.0)	2.5 (1.0–4.0)	10.0 (10.0–10.0)	3.0 (3.0–3.0)	7.5 (7.5–10.0)	4.5 (2.5–5.0)	7.5 (7.5–10.0)	2.5 (1.5–4.0)	0.12

Abbreviations: DUs: digital ulcers; VAS: visual analogue scale; RP: Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Data are presented as median (interquartile range).