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NAILFOLD CAPILLAROSCOPY: A BLINDED STUDY OF ITS DISCRIMINATORY VALUE IN SCLERODERMA, SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Author(s) -
Mcgill N. W.,
Gow P. J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1986.tb02010.x
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , scleroderma (fungus) , dermatology , rheumatology , connective tissue disease , systemic scleroderma , lupus erythematosus , connective tissue , arthritis , dermatomyositis , pathology , autoimmune disease , immunology , disease , antibody , inoculation
The appearances of the nailfold capillaries can be used to distinguish between various connective tissue diseases. In a study of 30 patients (10 with scleroderma, nine with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 11 with rheumatoid arthritis), photographs were taken of the eight nailfolds of each patient (thumbs excluded) and then coded. Each of the photographs was later analysed by a rheumatology registrar and an attempt was made to predict the patient's diagnosis using only the appearance of the nailfold. The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity were 89% and 80%, respectively. The results indicate that nailfold capillaroscopy, performed by a relatively inexperienced observer, can accurately distinguish between patients with scleroderma and those with systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. (Aust NZ J Med 1986; 16: 457–460.)