Dermatology Reports (Oct 2021)

Infections of scleroderma digital ulcers: a single center cohort retrospective study

  • Dilia Giuggioli,
  • Luca Magnani,
  • Amelia Spinella,
  • Gianluigi Bajocchi,
  • Adalgisa Palermo,
  • Federica Lumetti,
  • Emanuele Cocchiara,
  • Carlo Salvarani

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2021.9075

Abstract

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BACKGROUNDS: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune and up to fifty percent of patients develop digital ulcers. AIMS: Understand how much infections influence scleroderma digital ulcers’ healing. METHODS: We revised fifty consecutive patients with SSc-related DUs who referred to our Scleroderma Unit. Thirty-five of them who showed clear signs of DUs infection underwent to cutaneous swab and microbiological data collection. We performed 87 cutaneous swabs overall. RESULTS: DUs were recurrent in 58% of the patients and multiple in 60% of patients. Fourty-four swabs (53%) were positive for Staphylococcus Aureus (13% Methicillin-Resistant), 9 were positive for Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (Pseudomonas A.) (10%), and then the others less frequently isolated. Twenty-fifth percent of patients needed hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a patient-tailored approached to DUs, particularly those infected. Self-hygiene and asepsis during dressing procedures are mandatory. Patient must be trained to avoid dangerous behaviors and reduce the risk of infection.

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