Digital gangrene associated with anticentromere antibodies: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Anticentromere antibodies have been associated with peripheral vascular occlusive disease, most frequently accompanied by sclerodactyly in the context of a connective tissue disorder. We report a case of digital gangrene with no other clinical associations except positive anticentromere antibodies.


METHODS
Our patient, a 53-year-old Caucasian woman, non-smoker, presented with progressive pain and blackening of the distal right third finger over the preceding five weeks. No sclerodactyly was evident. She was anticentromere antibody positive at greater than 100 U/mL. Angiography revealed diffuse distal vasculopathy in both upper extremities. Other investigations were unremarkable.


CONCLUSIONS
It is rare for anticentromere antibody-associated digital necrosis to develop without concomitant sclerodactyly. However, this patient's case illustrates the need to consider an autoimmune contribution to the pathogenesis of digital ischemia even in the absence of a recognizable connective tissue disease.
Bolster
Lauren
L
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. r.gjevre@usask.ca.
Taylor-Gjevre
Regina M
RM
Nair
Bindu
B
Gjevre
John A
JA