We examined 24 patients with SSc, 11 with high levels and 13 with low levels of versican expression, and found differences in the frequencies of dcSSc (82% vs. 25%, P = 0.02), interstitial lung disease (82% vs. 46%, P = 0.04), positive anti-topoisomerase I antibody (64% vs. 15%, P = 0.01), and esophageal involvement (100% vs. 46%, P = 0.006). The gene discussed is VCAN; the disease is systemic sclerosis.