Multimodal ultrasound in the assessment of muscle involvement in systemic sclerosis patients: results from a bicentric study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate muscle mass, quality, and stiffness using ultrasound ('multimodal ultrasound') in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, compared with healthy controls (HCs), and examine their correlation with muscle strength, physical performance and disability.

Methods

In this cross-sectional, bicentric study (Jesi and Leeds), ultrasound scans of the quadriceps muscle (QM) were performed in SSc patients (without inflammatory myositis) and HCs to assess muscle mass, quality [using a semi-quantitative modified Heckmatt scale (mHS) and grey-scale histogram analysis (GSA) for muscle echogenicity], and stiffness [measured by shear-wave elastography (SWE)]. Muscle strength was assessed using the handgrip test, physical performance was evaluated with the Short Physical Perfo

SUBMITTER: Bixio R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12671856 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature