Open AccessRelationship between nailfold capillary abnormalities and organ involvement in systemic sclerosis
Author(s) -
Lovy Michael,
MacCarter Daryl,
Steigerwald James C.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1780280505
Subject(s) - sclerodactyly , scleroderma (fungus) , crest syndrome , medicine , calcinosis , pathology , systemic disease , systemic scleroderma , organ system , progressive systemic sclerosis , connective tissue disease , dermatology , autoimmune disease , disease , calcification , inoculation
Nailfold capillary abnormalities in 42 consecutive patients with systemic sclerosis were studied by widefield capillary microscopy, and capillary abnormalities were correlated with organ involvement. Twenty‐eight patients had diffuse skin disease, and 14 had the CREST variant of systemic sclerosis (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectasias) with anticentromere antibodies. Nailfold capillary enlargement and loss were graded from photographs. There was no correlation between the severity of either nailfold capillary loss or enlargement and duration of disease, number of organ systems involved, or acroosteolysis. The presence of telangiectasias correlated with extreme capillary enlargement ( P < 0.025). Based on these findings it can be concluded that nailfold capillary changes in individual patients with systemic sclerosis are not useful in predicting organ involvement.