Table 1 Continuous data are mean ± SD unless otherwise indicated.

Female sex, n (%)

19 (95)

18 (95)

0.74

Age, years

56 ± 8

55 ± 10

0.64

Hypertension, n (%)

2 (10)

4 (21)

0.41

Diabetes, n (%)

0

0

-

Hyperlipidaemia, n (%)

4 (20)

3 (16)

0.73

BMI, kg/m2

25 ± 4

27 ± 7

0.23

SSc VDAI

N/A

4 ± 2

-

ESR, mm/hr (median, IQR)

N/A

11 (3-18)

-

CRP, mg/L (median, IQR)

3 (1-4)

5 (2-8)

0.01

Hemoglobin (g/L)

13 ± 1

12 ± 1

0.05

mRSS

N/A

20 ± 6

-

LVEDV indexed, ml/m2

77 ± 16

69 ± 11

0.08

LVESV indexed, ml/m2

21 ± 5

18 ± 5

0.06

LVEF, %

73 ± 5

74 ± 6

0.52

LV Mass indexed, g/m2

52 ± 11

51 ± 8

0.74

LA size, mm

28 ± 5

37 ± 6

< 0.001

RVEDV indexed, ml/m2

85 ± 19

77 ± 12

0.32

RVESV indexed, ml/m2

28 ± 7

25 ± 7

0.06

RVEF, %

67 ± 4

67 ± 6

0.14

Mid SA circumferential strain

-18.6 ± 1.0

-16.8 ± 1.6

< 0.001

Peak diastolic circumferential strain rate (s-1)

114 ± 16

83 ± 26

< 0.001

Presence of LGE (%)

0

10 (53)

-

Volume fraction of LGE > 2SD (%)

0

3.8 ± 0.4

-

STIR T2 Ratio

1.6 ± 0.5

1.7 ± 0.4

0.66