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February 3, 2012
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Raynaud's Phenomenon

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Raynaud's Phenomenon and Scleroderma

My mother has a condition in which her fingers turn completely white--especially during the winter--and when the blood returns to her fingers, they tingle. A rheumatologist told her today that she possibly has scleroderma. What is the prognosis and treatment for this disease?

Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD

The condition you are describing in your mother's fingers is compatible with Raynaud's phenomenon. Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition resulting in discoloration of the fingers and/or the toes after exposure to changes in temperature (cold or hot) or emotional events. Skin discoloration occurs because an abnormal spasm of the blood vessels causes a diminished blood supply to the local tissues.

Raynaud's phenomenon is particularly common in patients with scleroderma, although it may occur with other diseases or by itself. Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease of connective tissue. Autoimmune diseases are diseases which occur when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. Scleroderma is characterized by the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and organs of the body. This leads to thickness and firmness of involved areas, most frequently in the fingers. The cause of scleroderma is not known.

Read more about Raynaud's phenomenon and scleroderma »


Top Searched Raynaud's Phenomenon Terms:

scleroderma, symptoms, treatment, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus

What is Raynaud's phenomenon?

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a condition resulting in a particular series of discolorations of the fingers and/or the toes after exposure to changes in temperature (cold or hot) or emotional events. Skin discoloration occurs because an abnormal spasm of the blood vessels causes a diminished blood supply to the local tissues. Initially, the digit(s) involved turn white because of the diminished blood supply. The digit(s) then turn blue because of prolonged lack of oxygen. Finally, the blood vessels reopen, causing a local "flushing" phenomenon, which turns the digit(s) red. This three-phase color sequence (white to blue to red), most often upon exposure to cold temperature, is characteristic of RP.

Raynaud's phenomenon most frequently affects women, especially in the second, third, or fourth decades of life. People can have Raynauds phenomenon alone or as a part of other rheumatic diseases. When it occurs alone, it is referred to as "Raynaud's disease" or primary Raynaud's phenomenon. When it accompanies other diseases, it is called secondary Raynaud's phenomenon.

What causes Raynaud's phenomenon?

The causes of primary and secondary RP are unknown. Both abnormal nerve control of the blood-vessel diameter and nerve sensitivity to cold exposure have been suspected as being contributing factors. The characteristic color changes of the digits are in part related to initial blood-vessel narrowing due to spasm of the tiny muscles in the wall of the vessels, followed by sudden opening (dilation), as described above. The small arteries of the digits can have microscopic thickness of their inner lining, which also leads to abnormal narrowing of the blood vessels.

Picture of Raynaud's phenomenon
Picture of the red, blue, and white fingers associated with Raynaud's phenomenon

What conditions have been associated with Raynaud's phenomenon?

Raynaud's phenomenon has been seen with a number of conditions, including rheumatic diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus), hormone imbalance (hypothyroidism and carcinoid), trauma (frostbite, vibrating tools), medications (propranolol [Inderal], estrogens without additional progesterone, bleomycin [Bleoxane] used in cancer treatment, and ergotamine used for headaches), nicotine, and even rarely with cancers.



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Raynaud's Phenomenon

What is scleroderma?

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease of the connective tissue featuring skin thickening, spontaneous scarring, blood vessel disease, varying degrees of inflammation, associated with an overactive immune system. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses which occur when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. Scleroderma is characterized by the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and organs of the body. This leads to thickness and firmness of involved areas. Scleroderma, when it's diffuse or widespread over the body, is also referred to as systemic sclerosis.

The cause of scleroderma is not known. Researchers have found some evidence that certain genes are important factors, but the environment seems to also play a role. The result is activation of the immune system in a susceptible individual, causing injury to tissues that result in injury similar to scar-tissue formation. The fact that genes seem to cause a predi...

Read the Scleroderma article »







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