title: [Gender-specific differences in capillaroscopy in healthy persons and patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Capillaroscopy is an established tool to assess morphological and functional findings of the microcirculation which have a confirmed association with disease activity and damage of inflammatory rheumatic diseases, especially systemic sclerosis. Hairpin-shaped capillaries with normal density predict a very low risk for collagenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Own databases were evaluated with respect to the topic of the manuscript and the current literature was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The healthy population does not only demonstrate hairpin shape as capillaroscopic normal findings and morphological and functional abnormalities can also be found which show various patterns depending on gender and age. These can be found in healthy persons and also patients with collagenosis. Ectasia and sludge phenomenon are more common in women and tortuous capillaries are more common in men. Capillary filling is often decreased in women and increased in male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When assessing capillaroscopy findings, gender and the morphological or functional alterations which can be found in the normal healthy population should be taken into consideration. In further studies with capillaroscopy as the target parameter, the potential source of the disturbance should be known, especially in small populations, and if necessary balanced by weighted randomization.
authors: Poliklinik für Rheumatologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Deutschland, Jutta.richter@med.uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors: J G
authors: JG
authors: Richter
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Klein-Weigel
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Brinks
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Schneider
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Sander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012723:Sex; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000473:pathology*