title: Primary Raynaud's phenomenon and nailfold videocapillaroscopy: age-related changes in capillary morphology.
abstract: This study aimed to detect by nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) the presence of age-related capillary morphological patterns in a large cohort of subjects affected by primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP). NVC was performed in 877 patients affected by PRP, divided into three age groups: <35, 35-55 and >55 years. The following qualitative parameters were assessed and compared in the three groups of patients: apical dilations, irregular (non-homogeneous) dilations, venous branch dilations, microhaemorrhages, tortuosities and subpapillary venous plexus visibility. Patients with either irregular dilations or venous branch dilations were found significantly younger than those without (p < 0.0001). The presence of either irregular or venous branch dilations seems to exclude the presence of apical dilations. Patients with microhaemorrhages were found significantly younger than those without (p = 0.05), and 81 % of patients without microhaemorrhages did not show irregular and venous branch dilations. The subpapillary venous plexus seems more visible in subjects with age < 35, as well as in those with age > 55 years (p < 0.0001). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between presence of apical and irregular dilations (p < 0.0001), apical dilations and venous branch dilations (p = 0.02), apical dilations and tortuosities (p = 0.0005), microhaemorrhages and tortuosities (p < 0.0001) and venous branch dilations and tortuosities (p = 0.02). Finally, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between irregular and venous branch dilations (p < 0.0001), irregular dilations and microhaemorrhages (p < 0.0001) and venous branch dilations and microhaemorrhages (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, our study detected different age-related morphological capillary changes mainly in younger patients with PRP, as well as statistically significant correlations between the presence of different capillary variables.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS A.O.U. San Martino, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, no. 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy. carmen.pizzorni@unige.it.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizzorni
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS A.O.U. San Martino, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, no. 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulli
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS A.O.U. San Martino, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, no. 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruaro
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS A.O.U. San Martino, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, no. 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Amelia Chiara
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS A.O.U. San Martino, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, no. 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cutolo
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS A.O.U. San Martino, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, no. 6, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paolino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply*; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Aging; Capillary morphology; Connective tissue diseases; Nailfold videocapillaroscopy; Primary Raynaud’s phenomenon