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Objectives We characterized the microbiota in SSc, focusing on the skin–oral–gut axis and the serum and faecal free fatty acid (FFA) profile. Methods Twenty-five SSc patients with ACA or anti-Scl70 autoantibodies were enrolled. The microbiota of faecal, saliva and superficial epidermal samples was assessed through next-generation sequencing analysis. GC-MS was used to quantify faecal and serum FFAs. Gastrointestinal symptoms were investigated with the University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract Instrument (UCLA GIT-2.0) questionnaire. Results The ACA+ and anti-Scl70+ groups displayed different cutaneous and faecal microbiota profiles. The classes of cutaneous Sphingobacteriia and Alphaproteobacteria, the faecal phylum Lentisphaerae, the levels of the classes Lentisphaeria and Opitutae, and the genus NA-Acidaminococcaceae were significantly higher in faecal samples from the ACA+ patients than in samples from the anti-Scl70+ patients. The cutaneous Sphingobacteria and the faecal Lentisphaerae were significantly correlated (rho = 0.42; P  = 0.03). A significant increase in faecal propionic acid was observed in ACA+ patients. Moreover, all levels of faecal medium-chain FFAs and hexanoic acids were significantly higher in the ACA+ group than in the anti-Scl70+ group (P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.001, respectively). In the ACA+ group, the analysis of the serum FFA levels showed an increasing trend in valeric acid. Conclusion Different microbiota signatures and FFA profiles were found for the two groups of patients. Despite being in different body districts, the cutaneous Sphingobacteria and faecal Lentisphaerae appear interdependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Plumb line distances (PDs) are widely used in conservative clinical practice to evaluate the sagittal shape of the spine. Objective The objective was to assess the normative values of PDs in a large, healthy population in an age range representative of the adolescent population with spinal deformities, and to correlate it with x-ray measurements. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods Participants were 584 healthy individuals (341 females) with x-rays showing no spine deformities. The whole sample (OVERALL) was divided into 5 groups: 6 to 9 years old (n = 106); >10 years, Risser 0 with triradiate cartilage open (n = 129) or closed (n = 104); Risser 1 to 2 (n = 126); and Risser 3 to 5 (n = 119). PDs were taken by maintaining a tangent to the thoracic kyphosis apex at C7, T12, L3, and S2. Sagittal index (C7 + L3), and sagittal and coronal balances (C7 related to S2) were calculated. Results In OVERALL, PDs at C7, T12, L3, and S2 were 39.9 ± 16.7, 21.4 ± 15.3, 39.9 ± 15, 20.6 ± 17.0 mm, respectively. Sagittal index was 79.8 ± 26.8, sagittal balance was 19.3 ± 17 mm anterior to S2 plumb line; 13.5% had a coronal imbalance of 11.4 ± 5.4 mm to the right and 24.7% of 13.2 ± 6.0 mm to the left. C7 and L3 PDs, sagittal index, and sagittal balance were significantly lower in ages 6 to 9 compared to older patients in Risser 1 to 2 group. C7 and S2 PDs and sagittal index were significantly larger in males. Sagittal index correlated with thoracic kyphosis Cobb degrees (r = 0.47). Limitations The participants were not randomly chosen from the general population; and they had an x-ray because of spine pathology suspicion. Conclusions This study shows normative data to be used in clinical practice. Sagittal spinopelvic alignment has gained more and more importance in the last decades because of its high correlation to Health-Related Quality of Life scores in adults. 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]