“…Increased permeability of the nail fold capillaries (Bollinger, Jager, & Siegenthaler, 1986) and increased endothelial apoptosis (Sgonc et al, 1996)have been described in SSc patients. Endothelial cell injury in SSc may be triggered by anti-endothelial antibody (Worda et al, 2003), cytokines (Kahaleh, 2004), complement abnormalities (Venneker, van den Hoogen, Boerbooms, Bos, & Asghar, 1994) and/or cellular cytotoxicity . Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) can complicate the course of up to 10-20% of patients with SSc.…”