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Predictive value of nailfold capillaroscopy in the diagnosis of connective tissue diseases

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Summary

We revised the clinical files of 326 patients who underwent nailfold capillaroscopy. These patients could be subdivided into 4 groups : I : patients with clinical suspicion of connective tissue disease, II : patients with isolated Raynaud's phenomenon, III : patients with existing connective tissue disease, IV : patients with acrocyanosis, chronic pernio or related disorders. The presence of megacapillaries was noted. The sensitivity of their presence for the various categories of connective tissue disease was as follows : systemic sclerosis (n=11) : 100 %, CREST (n=15) : 73 %, MCTD (n=9) : 56 %, dermatomyositis (n=7) : 86 %. Nineteen patients with megacapillaries had no final diagnosis of connective tissue disease (specificity 93.3 %). The positive predictive value of the presence of megacapillaries for a scleroderma spectrum disorder (SSD) was 63.5 % and the negative predictive value of a normal capillaroscopy 96.7 %. We conclude that nailfold capillaroscopy can be advised to rule out SSD's.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. From the Department of General Internal Medicine, UZ Gasthuisberg, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium

    D. Blockmans

  2. Department of Vascular Disorders, UZ Gasthuisberg, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium

    G. Beyens & R. Verhaeghe

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  1. D. Blockmans
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  2. G. Beyens
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  3. R. Verhaeghe
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Blockmans, D., Beyens, G. & Verhaeghe, R. Predictive value of nailfold capillaroscopy in the diagnosis of connective tissue diseases. Clin Rheumatol 15, 148–153 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230332

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230332

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