J Rheumatol
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Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening complication of connective tissue diseases (CTD). Our aim was to compare the diagnostic utility of noninvasive imaging modalities, i.e., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and echocardiography, in evaluation of these patients. ⋯ In patients with CTD and suspected PAH, cardiac MRI and echocardiography have greater diagnostic utility than CT in the assessment of patients with suspected PAH, and MRI has prognostic value.
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A prospective observational study of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) treatment in patients with diffuse progressive cutaneous systemic sclerosis (SSc) of recent onset. ⋯ Patients with diffuse progressive cutaneous SSc of recent onset treated with MMF experienced marked improvement in skin involvement and stabilization of pulmonary function. Skin biopsies from 3 patients demonstrated histopathological improvement and decreased expression of fibrosis-related genes.