Thermography and nailfold capillaroscopy as predictors of SSc
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Thermography and nailfold capillaroscopy as a composite predictor of disease progression and severity in systemic sclerosis
IRAS ID
268808
Contact name
Ariane Herrick
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 11 months, 11 days
Research summary
Systemic sclerosis (SSc, or ‘scleroderma’) is a multisystem connective tissue disease, affecting approximately 10,000 people in the UK. SSc is associated with major disability and pain. In patients with SSc, Raynaud’s phenomenon (episodic colour changes in response to cold or emotional stress) can progress to irreversible tissue injury with ulceration, scarring, and sometimes gangrene. However Raynaud's is very common, affecting approximately 5% of the population, and is usually 'primary' (no underlying cause). It is possible to differentiate Raynaud's secondary to SSc from primary Raynaud's using non-invasive techniques called nailfold capillaroscopy and thermography. Nailfold capillaroscopy examines the small blood vessels ('capillaries') next to the nailbed by high-magnification optical imaging. In primary Raynaud's the capillaries have normal structure, in SSc they are usually abnormal (e.g., few in number, widened). Thermography uses an infrared camera to measure the temperature of the skin, which is representative of underlying blood flow. Thermography has been shown to successfully separate patients with SSc, primary Raynaud’s and healthy controls. Both techniques, have independently been shown to predict development of SSc in patients with Raynaud’s, and predict SSc severity.
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the use of nailfold capillaroscopy and thermography as a composite predictor of SSc development and progression. This will be a prospective study using routinely collected images at patient visits to Salford Royal to investigate their symptoms of Raynaud’s. Patients will be followed for the duration of their care and their annually collected data analysed to explore whether a) the development of SSc, and b) the severity of their SSc (e.g., digital ulcers), can be predicted using nailfold capillaroscopy and thermography images. The results will hope to inform the development of a composite prediction model for SSc, which will aid in the diagnosis and treatment choices for patients with the disease.REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1941
Date of REC Opinion
12 Dec 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion