Sildenafil Effect on Digital Ulcer Healing in sClerodErma SEDUCE STUDY

Digital ulcers (DUs) are an expression of the microangiopathy in patients with scleroderma (SSc). DUs lead to pain and impaired hand use. DUs remain a severe complication for many patients and effective therapy remains elusive. In the present study, the investigators propose to evaluate the efficacy of Sildenafil in DUs healing in a randomized double blind control study in SSc patients.

This is a multicenter, prospective, longitudinal, randomized, comparative, double-blind, 2-parallel-arm, placebo-controlled study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sildenafil 20 mg TID study on time to healing of DUs in SSc patients with ischaemic DUs. Approximately 120 patients aged from 18 years and above will be allocated to receive either placebo or sildenafil 20mg TID during 90 days. All potential subjects will present with ischaemic digital ulcers complicating scleroderma. An eligible digital ulcer must be beyond the proximal interphalangeal joint, on finger surface (included periungual ulcers), of ischemic origin according to the physician, and not over subcutaneous calcifications or bone relief.