https://www.selleckchem.com/products/LY315920(Varespladib).html The highest FGF-21 quartile was associated with worse SPPB and HAQ. Higher baseline FGF-21 levels (per 1 SD) were associated with worsening in muscle density and area Z-scores (β -0.06, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.008, = 0.08; and β -0.05, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.006, = 0.08, respectively) and a greater probability of a clinically meaningful worsening of HAQ (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.21-4.64, = 0.01). The fourth FGF-21 quartile was associated with worsening of SPPB (β -0.57, 95% CI -1.04 to -0.09, = 0.02). FGF-21 levels are associated with obesity and inflammatory cytokines, and with worsening in physical functioning in RA. These data support the hypothesis that FGF-21 can identify patients at risk of functional decline. FGF-21 levels are associated with obesity and inflammatory cytokines, and with worsening in physical functioning in RA. These data support the hypothesis that FGF-21 can identify patients at risk of functional decline. The modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) remains the preferred method for skin assessment in systemic sclerosis (SSc). There are concerns regarding high interobserver variability of mRSS and negative clinical trials utilizing mRSS as the primary endpoint. High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) allows objective assessment of cutaneous fibrosis in SSc. We investigated the relationship between HFUS with both mRSS and dermal collagen. Skin thickness (ST), echogenicity, and novel shear wave elastography (SWE) were assessed in 53 patients with SSc and 15 healthy controls (HCs) at the finger, hand, forearm, and abdomen. The relationship between HFUS parameters with mRSS (n = 53) and dermal collagen (10 patients with SSc and 10 HCs) was investigated. Intraobserver repeatability of HFUS was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). HFUS assessment of ST (hand/forearm) and SWE (finger/hand) correlated with local mRSS at some sites. Subclinical abnormalities in ST, echogenicity, and SWE were pre