Trends in Systemic Sclerosis Mortality Over Forty‐Eight Years, 1968–2015: A US Population–Based Study

Objective To identify secular trends associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) mortality over a 48‐year period. Methods Using national mortality data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide‐Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research, and population data from the US Census Bureau, we calculated an age‐standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for SSc and non‐SSc (all other causes), and we also calculated the ratio of the SSc ASMR to the non‐SSc ASMR for each year from 1968 to 2015. We then used a joinpoint regression model to evaluate mortality trends overall and by sex and race. Results From 1968 to 2015, there were 46,798 deaths with SSc recorded as the “underlying” cause of death and 106,058,839 non‐SSc deaths. There were an additional 9,063 deaths with SSc recorded as a “contributing” cause of death from 1999 to 2015. Whereas the non‐SSc ASMR decreased throughout the 48‐year time period, the SSc ASMR increased from 1968 to 2000, followed by decreases each year from 2001 to 2015. The SSc ASMR also decreased for deaths where SSc was a contributing cause from 1999 to 2015. Women and Black persons had higher SSc ASMRs and SSc ASMR to non‐SSc ASMR ratios than men and White persons, respectively. Additionally, SSc ASMRs and SSc ASMR to non‐SSc ASMR ratios increased at higher rates in women and White persons than in men and Black persons, respectively, during the initial three decades. Conclusion Mortality attributable to SSc increased from 1968 to 2000, followed by a steady decline from 2001 to 2015. However, SSc mortality relative to non‐SSc mortality remains high. SSc mortality has disproportionately changed by sex and race over the 48‐year period assessed in the present study.