title: [Digital blood flow measurement by venous occlusion plethysmography in Raynaud's phenomenon. Value of the rewarming test].
abstract: The fingertip blood flow measured by mercury strain gauge plethysmography with venous occlusion, at 22 degrees C room temperature, had significantly lower mean values in 190 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (55 men aged 49 yrs +/- 16, 135 women aged 48 yrs +/- 16) than in 40 age and sex matched controls: 18 ml/100 ml/minute +/- 14.6 versus 35 ml/100 ml/minute +/- 15 at level p less than 0.01. The mean fingertip blood flow was significantly lower (p less than 0.01) in 31 cases of scleroderma and 32 cases of pulpar necrosis (respectively 13 ml +/- 13 and 11 ml +/- 8) than in 55 cases of primary Raynaud's disease (no detectable etiology and normal capillaroscopy 5 years after onset) or in 34 cases of mild Raynaud's phenomenon (respectively 21.6 +/- 16 and 24.4 +/- 18). A warming test (both hands in water at 45 degrees C during 3 minutes) was performed in 50 cases with low basal fingertip blood flow. It induced a "normalized" flow in 22 cases (mostly primary or mild Raynaud), a partly improved flow in 20 cases (mostly secondary Raynaud) and no improvement in 8 cases (scleroderma). The warming test appears to be clinically useful to assess the vasospasm and the vasodilating capabilities.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004301:Doppler Effect; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010991:Plethysmography; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D013919:Thromboangiitis Obliterans / Q000150:complications
vernacular_title: Débitmétrie digitale par plétysmographie avec occlusion veineuse dans le phénomène de Raynaud. Intérêt du test de réchauffement.