NPPB and systemic sclerosis: The SSc patients with silicosis had morefrequent occurrence of TB (P = 0.000), cardiac involved (P = 0.007), ILD (P = 0.043), elevated BNP (P = 0.013), elevated ESR (P = 0.005), while the incidence of telangiectasia (P = 0.007), elevated myoglobin (P = 0.009) were low (Table 1).