Background/Purpose: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a generalized disorder of connective tissue

affecting skin and internal organs. Lung involvement has been long shown to be associated
with reduced survival. Pulmonary function testing (PFT) are cornerstone test in detection of
pulmonary involvement in patients with SSc. Patients with interstitial lung involvement will
demonstrate restriction of lung function test. Spirometry typically utilized in clinical practice
provides a good estimation of restriction. This aim of the study was to describe spirometry
findings in patients with SSc in our rheumatology outpatient clinic.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in 29 patients

with confirmed diagnosis of SSc, who underwent spirometry. According to spirometry
results, we categorized the patients into normal, restrictive, obstructive, and mixed groups.
Restrictive lung disease was defined as combined of forced vital capacity (FVC) < 70% and
forced expiratory volume at 1s (FEV1)/FVC > 70%. Patients with restrictive lung disease was
categorized as mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe and very severe based on FVC
prediction.

Results: Twenty-nine patients were included in this study. Spirometry findings showed mean
FVC 1.87 ± 0.85 Liters, mean FVC prediction 62.8 ± 33.44%, and FEV1/FVC prediction 98.76 ±
14.76%. Based on combination FVC and FEV1/FVC, normal lung function was present in
13.8% of patients, restrictive in 72.4%, obstructive in 6.9%, and mixed in 6.9%. Within the
restrictive group, 14.3% was mild, 14.3% moderate, 19% moderately severe, 33.3% severe,
and 19% very severe.

Conclusion: The spirometry findings of patients with systemic sclerosis showed high
prevalence of restrictive lung diseases (72.4%). Within the restrictive group, 33% of patients
had severe restriction and 19% very severe restriction.