The relation between nailfold bleeding and capillary microscopic abnormality in patients with connective tissue diseases.
BACKGROUND
Patients with connective tissue diseases, mainly scleroderma, show nailfold bleeding and nailfold capillary abnormality. An attempt was made to determine the possible relation between nailfold bleeding and nailfold capillary abnormality.


METHODS
The correlation between nailfold bleeding and nailfold capillary abnormality was studied using quantitative nailfold capillary microscopy.


RESULTS
The frequencies of nailfold bleeding in scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon were significantly higher than those of normal controls. The distributions of abnormal values of capillary parameters in scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren's syndrome, secondary Raynaud's phenomenon, primary Raynaud's phenomenon, and diabetes mellitus were significantly higher than those of normal controls. In normal controls, scleroderma, mixed connective tissue diseases, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren's syndrome, primary Raynaud's phenomenon, and diabetes mellitus, all nailfold bleeding was observed in subjects with nailfold capillary abnormality. The distribution of nailfold bleeding in secondary Raynaud's phenomenon with abnormal values of capillary parameters was significantly higher than that with normal values.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a close relationship between nailfold bleeding and nailfold capillary abnormality.
Ohtsuka
T
T
Department of Dermatology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002196:Capillaries / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000503:physiopathology