Raynaud's phenomenon: clinical spectrum of 118 patients

• Published in: Clinical rheumatology 2003-10, Vol.22 (4-5), p.279-284
• Main Authors: De Angelis, Rossella, Del Medico, Patrizia, Blasetti, Patrizia, Cervini, Claudio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Age of Onset; Aged; Cohort Studies; Connective Tissue Diseases - diagnosis; Connective Tissue Diseases - epidemiology; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease; Family medical history; Female; Humans; Incidence; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medical History Taking; Middle Aged; Physical Examination; Prognosis; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Raynaud disease; Raynaud Disease - diagnosis; Raynaud Disease - epidemiology; Rheumatology; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Distribution
• ISSN: 0770-3198; 1434-9949
• DOI: 10.1007/s10067-003-0726-1

To establish the prevalence of the associated secondary diseases in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) attending a rheumatology specialty centre and to determine the frequency with which a secondary illness develops in those having RP, in absence of a well-defined secondary cause. 118 consecutive patients were evaluated. Medical history, physical and laboratory investigations entered into a database. Patients with primary RP and patients with RP who did not fulfil any diagnostic criteria for inclusion in a secondary form were followed up over a three-year period. 63 RP patients were found with related conditions. 35 patients met criteria for inclusion in a primary RP group, 20 patients had 'unclassifiable' RP, of which two (10%) developed a well-defined disease. None of the primary RP patients developed a secondary disease. This study shows that less than 50% of patients with RP attending a rheumatology specialty centre have a connective tissue disease. Patients with isolated RP appear to have a benign disease, since primary RP remains as such, and only a small percentage of patients with 'unclassifiable' RP evolve into a well-defined CTD.