The clinical significance of periodic acid-Schiff-positive deposits in cuticle-proximal nail fold biopsy specimens.
In vivo capillary microscopic findings and proximal nail fold biopsy specimens from 19 patients with various connective tissue diseases, idiopathic Raynaud's phenomenon, and non-connective tissue diseases were studied. Periodic acid-Schiff-positive serous cuticular deposits were not specific to the group of patients with connective tissue disease. Generally, the severity of deposits correlated with the severity of the in vivo capillary microscopic pattern but not with disease severity or duration. The finding of these cuticular deposits may help to identify those patients with idiopathic Raynaud's phenomenon who are at risk to develop a connective tissue disease.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*