title: Prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon in Japanese males and females.
abstract: In order to estimate the prevalence rate of Raynaud's phenomenon in the Japanese population, 1875 males and 1998 females were interviewed by medical doctors, aided by a typical photograph of Raynaud's phenomenon. The prevalence rates were 3.3% in males and 2.5% in females. Approximately 60% of the male cases of Raynaud's phenomenon were presumed to be caused by vibration syndrome or trauma to the fingers. Prevalence rates excluding these two causes were 1.2% in males and 2.2% in females. The male:female ratio of these prevalence rates was 1:1.9. The prevalence rate for males increased with age, while that for females tended to decrease. The male:female ratio for subjects under 50 years old was 1:5.2 and for those 50 years old or older the ratio was 1:1.1. The prevalence rates of symptoms limited to finger whitening, excluding cases caused by vibration syndrome or trauma, were 1.0% in males and 1.8% in females. Both of these prevalence rates were lower than those of male and female Caucasians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takegata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects