In addition, percentages of CD31+ cells expressing aSMA were also higher in both, SSc all and lSSc: Controls 65 ± 13 %; SSc all 90 ± 2.8 %; lSSc 92 ± 2.1 %; dSSc 88 ± 6.7 %; the p-values were: Controls vs. SSc all p = 0.01; Controls vs. lSSc p = 0.02; Controls vs. dSSc p = 0.17 (Fig. 2). Here, PECAM1 is linked to systemic sclerosis.