الفهرس 
Introduction & Aim of the workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
We aimed to study femoral cartilage thickness; as measured by Musculoskeletal ultrasound; its correlation to disease activity, severity and functionally as well. Determination of serum vitamin D level in those systemic sclerosis patients and its relation to disease parameters and femoral cartilage thickness.
Twenty Five systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and 25 healthy control were included in this study in which measures of disease activity, severity and functional indices was assessed for SSc. Femoral cartilage thickness measured by musculoskeletal ultrasound in both patients and control including three midpoint the lateral femoral condyles, two-thirds of the distance from the trochlear notch to the convexity of the lateral trochlea (two-thirds lateral), intercondylar areas at the trochlear notch and medial condyles two-thirds of the distance from the trochlear notch to the convexity of the medial trochlea (two-thirds medial) and measure femoral cartilage thickness bilaterally. Vitamin D level assay was measured in both patients and control.
Patients were grouped according to the level of vitamin D into two subgroups (group IA) systemic sclerosis patient with deficient vitamin D level<10 mg/ml (n=9). (group IB) systemic sclerosis patient with vitamin D level>10 mg/ml (n=16).
Femoral cartilage thicknesses differ significantly in RICA, RMC, LICA, LLC and LMC compare to control group. Also there was negative correlation between disease activity that was assessed by EScSG Activity index and femoral cartilage thickness.
We also found that SSc patients have low serum Vitamin D level compare to the control group (vitamin D level was deficient in 36% while it was insufficient in control group). Patients with low serum vitamin D level had longer disease duration, less sun light exposure. Patients have inadequate vitamin D in diet. Patients with high disease severity state have low serum vitamin D level demonstrating that disease severity was assessed by revised preliminary SSc severity scale. Patients with diffuse skin affection which was assessed by MRSS have low serum vitamin D level.