Lower-limb Ulcers in Systemic Sclerosis: A Multicentre Retrospective Case-control Study
Abstract
Lower-limb ulcers in systemic sclerosis patients are rarely reported. The aim of this study was to describe the main causes and outcomes of lower-limb ulcers in systemic sclerosis patients and to assess factors associated with ischaemic causes (arterial disease and/or microvascular impairment). A retrospective, multicentre, case-control study was conducted in 2013 and 2014, including 45 systemic sclerosis patients presenting lower-limb ulcers between 2008 and 2013. The estimated prevalence of lower-limb ulcers among systemic sclerosis patients was 12.8%. Ulcers were related to venous insufficiency in 22 cases (49%), ischaemic causes in 21 (47%) and other causes in 2 (4%). Complete healing was observed in 60% of cases in a mean time of 10.3 months; 59% relapsed during a mean follow-up of 22 months. Ischaemic lower-limb ulcer outcomes were poor, with a 28.6% amputation rate. Logistic-regression multivariate analyses between ischaemic lower-limb ulcer cases and matched systemic sclerosis-controls identified past or concomitant digital ulcer and cutaneous sclerosis of the feet as independent risk factors associated with ischaemic lower-limb ulcers.
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BibTeX
@article{bohelay2026lowerlimb,
title = {{Lower-limb Ulcers in Systemic Sclerosis: A Multicentre Retrospective Case-control Study}},
author = {G Bohelay and S Blaise and P Levy and A Claeys and N Baudot and J Cuny and H Maillard and F Granel-Brocard and T Boyé and C Lok and N Bénéton and C Francès and P Senet},
journal = {Acta Dermato-Venereologica},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2340/00015555-2939},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05790973v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Lower-limb Ulcers in Systemic Sclerosis: A Multicentre Retrospective Case-control Study
AU - G Bohelay
AU - S Blaise
AU - P Levy
AU - A Claeys
AU - N Baudot
AU - J Cuny
AU - H Maillard
AU - F Granel-Brocard
AU - T Boyé
AU - C Lok
AU - N Bénéton
AU - C Francès
AU - P Senet
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/10
JO - Acta Dermato-Venereologica
DO - 10.2340/00015555-2939
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05790973v1
AB - Lower-limb ulcers in systemic sclerosis patients are rarely reported. The aim of this study was to describe the main causes and outcomes of lower-limb ulcers in systemic sclerosis patients and to assess factors associated with ischaemic causes (arterial disease and/or microvascular impairment). A retrospective, multicentre, case-control study was conducted in 2013 and 2014, including 45 systemic sclerosis patients presenting lower-limb ulcers between 2008 and 2013. The estimated prevalence of lower-limb ulcers among systemic sclerosis patients was 12.8%. Ulcers were related to venous insufficiency in 22 cases (49%), ischaemic causes in 21 (47%) and other causes in 2 (4%). Complete healing was observed in 60% of cases in a mean time of 10.3 months; 59% relapsed during a mean follow-up of 22 months. Ischaemic lower-limb ulcer outcomes were poor, with a 28.6% amputation rate. Logistic-regression multivariate analyses between ischaemic lower-limb ulcer cases and matched systemic sclerosis-controls identified past or concomitant digital ulcer and cutaneous sclerosis of the feet as independent risk factors associated with ischaemic lower-limb ulcers.
SN - 0001-5555
SN - 1651-2057
ER -