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Diagnosis

 

Laser speckle contrast analysis is a reliable measure of digital blood perfusion in Black Africans with systemic sclerosis

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

 

  1. Division of Rheumatology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. ickinger@wol.co.za
  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, and Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
  3. Division of Rheumatology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, and Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
  5. Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
  6. Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University; Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital; Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Centre (IRC), Ghent, Belgium.

CER14677
2021 Vol.39, N°4 ,Suppl.131
PI 0119, PF 0123
Diagnosis

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PMID: 34251314 [PubMed]

Received: 30/03/2021
Accepted : 21/06/2021
In Press: 07/07/2021
Published: 28/07/2021

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
Laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) is evolving as a promising non-invasive tool to assess cutaneous microvascular function in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Reliability studies have mainly focused on Caucasian populations. To determine for the first time the inter-rater reliability of fingertip blood perfusion (BP) using LASCA in Black South African patients with SSc.
METHODS:
Consecutive Black adult patients with SSc were evaluated for peripheral BP using LASCA. Mean BP in defined regions of interest for dorsal fingertips and volar fingertips were measured in two subgroups of 20 SSc patients, each by three independent operators. Two operators were experienced in the use of the LASCA instrument and one was newly trained. Standardised protocols for conditions were followed for all measurements. Inter-rater reliability was tested using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
RESULTS:
The majority (87.5%) of the 40 patients included were females and 67.5% had diffuse cutaneous SSc. The mean age (standard deviation) was 48.5 (9.9) years and the median disease duration (interquartile range) was 8.5 (4, 13) years. There was good to excellent agreement, inter-rater ICC (dorsal fingertip range: 0.86-0.97 and volar fingertip range: 0.85-0.96), in both subgroups irrespective of operator skill.
CONCLUSIONS:
LASCA is a credible instrument in patients of Black ethnicity with SSc, and across operator experience.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55563/clinexprheumatol/vl4ils

Rheumatology Article