Research Group Muriel Elhai

Joint involvement is common in SSc, affecting around 46 to 97% of patients. Despite its high prevalence, arthritis in SSc has received little attention compared to other organ manifestations, such as lung fibrosis and skin fibrosis. However, investigating articular involvement in SSc is of paramount importance for disease management and patient well-being. Firstly, arthritis is a major contributor to disability and has a detrimental effect on patients‘ quality of life. Secondly, joint involvement independently predicts disease progression and death. A deeper understanding of arthritis in SSc may therefore help to stratify patients and enable earlier interventions. Despite the burden of articular manifestations in SSc, their frequency and associated morbidity, there are no evidence-based therapeutic options for arthritis in SSc.

We are interested in studying the mechanisms of synovitis in SSc using single cell RNA sequencing data on synovial cells obtained by ultrasound-guided biopsies. We are using also 2D and 3D cultures to understand and characterise mechanisms of fibrosis. Our overall aim is to develop new therapies for joint involvement in SSc.

Fibroid arthritis encompasses a diverse group of arthritic conditions that do not respond to immunosuppressive therapy, highlighting it as an unmet medical need and underscoring the need for the development of specific treatments. However, its pathogenesis remains unclear.

We are interested in studying the mechanisms of fibroid arthritis in different diseases using single cell RNA sequencing data on synovial cells obtained by ultrasound-guided biopsies. We are using also 2D and 3D cultures to understand and characterise mechanisms of fibrosis. Our overall aim is to identify targets for refractory arthritis.

Inflammatory joint and tendon involvement resulting in pain and reduced joint function affects up to 30% of patients with systemic sclerosis and represents a major burden on patient quality of life. The lack of standardized outcome measurements for assessing articular involvement in SSc not only limits the development of evidence-based therapies, but also results in incomplete clinical picture of joint involvement in SSc. We aim to develop a score to assess articular activity, damage and function among SSc patients for use in both clinical practice and trials.

SSc is characterized by significant patient-to-patient variability, ranging from a stable disease with minimal symptoms to a severe, life-threatening condition with extensive organ involvement. Currently, there is no reliable predictor to determine the prognosis for individual patients. Therefore, it is crucial to improve risk stratification to enable more personalized management. Our primary objective is to enhance the risk stratification of SSc, identifying patients at risk of specific organ involvements, disease progression, and death.