Inflammatory Arthritis in Systemic Sclerosis: Its Epidemiology, Associations, and Morbidity

Abstract

Objective: To describe the epidemiology, associations, and impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods: Patients with SSc prospectively enrolled in the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study were included. IA was defined clinically as the presence of synovitis on examination. Logistic regression was used to determine the associations of IA with SSc manifestations and serological parameters. Patient-reported outcome measures were used to capture physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Results: IA was a common SSc manifestation affecting one-third (33.3%) of patients over a median follow-up of 4.3 (1.7–8.4) years. Associations of IA included di..