There is a significant increase in IGFBP-1 (8–12.9 ng/ml, p < 0.05), IGFBP-2 (83–117 ng/ml, p < 0.001), IL-8 (3.6–9.3 pg/ml, p < 0.001), MMP-9 (412–967 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and CRP (0.7–2.1 mg/l, p < 0.001) levels in SSc patients compared to HS (Fig. 2b,c,e,f and see Supplementary Table S1). Here, MMP9 is linked to systemic sclerosis.