Differentiation between primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon: a prospective study comparing nailfold capillaroscopy using an ophthalmoscope or stereomicroscope

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 60; no. 4; pp. 407 - 409
• Main Authors: Anders, H J, Sigl, T, Schattenkirchner, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism 01.04.2001; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blood vessels; Concise Report; Connective tissue diseases; Dermatology; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Linear Models; Male; Medical sciences; Microscopic Angioscopy - instrumentation; Middle Aged; Morphology; Nail Diseases - pathology; nailfold capillary microscopy; ophthalmoscope; Ophthalmoscopes; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Patients; Point-of-Care Systems; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Raynaud disease; Raynaud Disease - diagnosis; Raynaud Disease - etiology; Raynaud's phenomenon; Rheumatology; Germany; Human; Acrosyndrome; Skin disease; Secondary; Methodology; Finger; Cardiovascular disease; Ophthalmoscope; Test reliability; Differential diagnostic; Vascular disease; Follow up study; Capillaroscopy; Diseases of the autonomic nervous system; Primary; Stereoscopic microscopy; Raynaud phenomenon; Capillary vessel disease; Diagnosis; Technique; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.60.4.407

BACKGROUND Nailfold capillary microscopy is a routine procedure in the investigation of patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). As a standard method, nailfold capillary morphology is inspected with a stereomicroscope to look for capillary abnormalities such as giant loops, avascular areas, and bushy capillaries, which have all been found to be associated with certain connective tissue diseases. AIM To investigate prospectively whether nailfold capillary inspection using an ophthalmoscope is of equivalent diagnostic value to standard nailfold capillary microscopy. METHOD All the fingers of 26 patients with RP were examined in a blinded fashion and compared with the final diagnosis one month later. RESULTS All giant loops, large avascular areas, and bushy capillaries were identified by both methods. The correlation for moderate avascular areas and crossed capillaries was 0.93 and 0.955 respectively. The correlation for minor abnormalities that do not contribute to the differentiation between primary and secondary RP was 0.837 and 0.861 respectively. All patients were classified identically by the two methods. CONCLUSION For the evaluation of patients with RP, nailfold capillary morphology can reliably be assessed with an ophthalmoscope.