Circulating levels of EGFL7 were significantly decreased in SSc patients (median 0.0 ng/ml, IQR 0.0 to 4.1 ng/ml) compared with healthy controls (median 4.2 ng/ml, IQR 0.0 to 10.3 ng/ml; P = 0.01) (Figure 1A). The gene discussed is EGFL7; the disease is systemic sclerosis.