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1565184 
Journal Article 
Increased finger skin vasoreactivity and stimulated vasomotion associated with simvastatin therapy in systemic sclerosis hypercholesterolemic patients 
Rossi, M; Bazzichi, L; Ghiadoni, L; Mencaroni, I; Franzoni, F; Bombardieri, S 
2012 
1 
Rheumatology International
ISSN: 0172-8172
EISSN: 1437-160X 
32 
12 
3715-3721 
22057138 
WOS:000311515600002 
We conducted an open-label trial to evaluate whether
simvastatin therapy was, or was not, associated in systemic sclerosis hypercholesterolemic
patients (SSc-Ps) with beneficial changes in finger skin microvascular function. 13 females SSc-
Ps and 15 females healthy control subjects (CSs), age-matched with SSc-Ps, underwent finger skin
post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH), using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). This test was
repeated in SSc-Ps after about 10 weeks of simvastatin (20 mg/day) therapy (ST). At baseline and
after ST, finger skin vasomotion was evaluated using spectral Fourier analysis of the LDF
tracings. Endothelin-1 and cholesterol serum levels were also determined in SSc-Ps at baseline
and after ST. At baseline, SSc-Ps had significantly lower basal finger skin blood flow (basal
flow) and PORH, compared to CSs (18.9 +/- A 11.7 PU vs. 28.5 +/- A 17.5 PU, 58.6 +/- A 31.0 PU
vs. 93. 1 +/- A 37.3; P < 0.05). After ST, SSc-Ps had a significant increase in basal flow and
PORH compared to baseline (42.7 +/- A 35.7 PU vs. 18.9 +/- A 11.7 PU, 111.0 +/- A 66.6 PU vs.
58.6 +/- A 31.0 PU, respectively; P < 0.05), as well as a significant reduction in endothelin-1,
total- and LDL-cholesterol serum levels. After ST, SSc-Ps also showed a partially restored post-
ischaemic amplification in finger skin blood flow oscillations within 0.06-0.6 Hz, related to
myogenic vasomotion. This study showed that a short time period of ST in hypercholesterolemic
SSc-Ps resulted in increased finger skin vasoreactivity and in partially restored post-ischaemic
amplification of finger skin vasomotion, suggesting that ST affects positively finger skin
microvascular dysfunction in SSc-Ps. 
Systemic sclerosis; Skin vasoreactivity; Skin post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia; Vasomotion; Skin blood flow oscillations; Laser Doppler flowmetry