Table 1: Subjects clinical characteristics

Subject   Age/sex  duration                 skin score             ANA                      organs                   medications          

               SSc 1       41/M       1 yr                        43/66                      +                            lung                        MTX, omeprazole   

                                                                                          Speckled                 muscles                  Vioxx

               SSc 2       54/M       4 yrs                       30/66                      -                             GI                          omeprazole

                                                                                                                                       RP

               SSc 3       62/F         1 yr                        33/66                      + 1:640                   GI                          nisedipine               

nucleolar

               SSc 4       58/F         2 yrs                       27/66                      +1:640                    lung                        nisedipine; prevacid

                                                                                                         Speckled                 RP, GI

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

The clinical data for the four subjects from which skin biopsies were taken is shown (SSc1 – 4).  In each case the age, sex, duration of disease as defined by onset of first non-Raynaud’s Phenomenon symptoms, Modified Rodnam Skin Scores on a 66 point scale, anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) titers, internal organ involvement and medication taken by each patient. The age and sex of normal controls are: Nor1 (39, male), Nor2 (58, female), Nor3 (58, female), Nor4 (41, female).  Abbreviations are: SSc, Systemic Scleroderma; GI, gastrointestinal tract; RP, Raynaud’s Phenomenon; MTX, methotrexate.