Scleroderma Types Systemic Symptoms Raynaud's

Raynaud's Diagnosis: Nailfold Capillaroscopy

Overview

Nailfold capillaroscopy is the best way to tell if someone has primary or seconday Raynaud's. Capillaries are very tiny blood vessels. Capillaries are very close to the surface of the skin, particularly near the base of fingernails.

For nailfold capillaroscopy, the doctor puts drop of oil at the base of each fingernail and then looks at them under a strong magnifier.

Normal patterns indicate primary Raynaud's. Abnormal patterns indicate an underlying connective tissue disease, such as scleroderma, dermatomyositis, or lupus. (Also see What is Raynaud's?, What is Scleroderma?, Types of Scleroderma and Systemic Symptoms)

Does sublingual microscopy correlate with nailfold videocapillaroscopy in systemic sclerosis (SSc)? Nailfold and sublingual microscopy can identify a loss of capillary density in SSc patients. PubMed, Clin Rheumatol, 01/07/2021. (Also see Vascular Involvement)

Arterial stiffness correlates with progressive nailfold capillary microscopic changes in systemic sclerosis (SSc): results from a cross-sectional study. These data suggest that arterial stiffness correlates with microvascular damage in patients with SSc. PubMed, Arthritis Res Ther, 2019 Nov 27;21(1):253. (Also see Vascular Involvement)

Serum klotho concentrations inversely correlate with the severity of nailfold capillaroscopic patterns in patients with systemic sclerosis. In line with previous studies, our findings confirm that klotho plays a role in preventing microvascular damage detected with nailfold capillaroscopy. PubMed, Reumatismo, 2019 Apr 1;71(1):19-23.

Primary Raynaud's. When Raynaud's appears by itself, without any other medical condition, it is called Primary Raynaud's, or Raynaud's Disease. More than 80% of people with Raynaud's have it by itself, not caused by any serious underlying illness. ISN.

Secondary Raynaud's and Nailfold Capillaroscopy

Secondary Raynaud's. When Raynaud's appears along with autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, or rheumatoid arthritis, it is called Secondary Raynaud's, or Raynaud's Phenomenon. ISN.

Photos of Nailfold Capillaroscopy

Systemic scleroderma in a 16-year-old boy: the diagnostic relevance of capillaroscopy and fluorescence video microscopy. Illustrations include pictures of nailfold capillaroscopy in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Abstract and Photo: European Journal of Dermatology. Volume 7, Numéro 5, 381-4.

The Handheld Dermatoscope as a Nail-Fold Capillaroscopic Instrument. The presence of nailfold capillary abnormalities may be useful in diagnosing several connective tissue disorders, including scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and mixed connective tissue disease, and in differentiating primary Raynaud phenomenon from Raynaud phenomenon due to scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease. Abstract and Photo: Archives of Dermatology. (Also see Common Medical Tests)

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