CRP and systemic sclerosis: Therefore, the aims of this cross-sectional observational study were 3-fold: (1) to determine in a cohort of SSc patients with prolonged CRP elevations (CRP+ SSc group) relative to SSc patients without CRP elevations (CRP− SSc group) which general, and/or SSc disease-specific, and/or cardiovascular parameters are associated with a prolonged CRP elevation in systemic sclerosis.