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Faculty of Medical Sciences

The value of nailfold capillaroscopy in Raynaud’s phenomenon in daily clinical practice.

Boer, B. de (Berber) (2014) The value of nailfold capillaroscopy in Raynaud’s phenomenon in daily clinical practice. thesis, Medicine.

Full text available on request.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the necessity of a follow-up capillaroscopyin patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), and to assess the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of capillaroscopy for the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods: Patients with RP with a capillaroscopy at the outpatient clinic at least six months ago were invited for a follow-up capillaroscopy. Patients were evaluated for new symptoms using a questionnaire and a physical examination. Results: The study population consisted of 107 patients with RP; 71 were available for follow-up. At baseline, 28% of the 71 patients had a normal/aspecific pattern, 42% showed borderline changes and 30% showed an SSc-pattern.The mean duration of follow-up was 12 months (range 6-25 months). In 21 (30%) patients capillaroscopy changed during follow-up, in 6 (8%) patients the capillaroscopy pattern worsened. All patients with a progressive capillaroscopy pattern had an established diagnosis at baseline or were still classified as suspected for secondary RP. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with SSc. An SSc-pattern had a sensitivity of 69%, a specificity of 84%, a PPV of 50% and a NPV of 92% for the development of SSc. Conclusion: Repeated capillaroscopy did not yieldnew diagnoses in patients with RP presenting at an academic outpatient clinic. Our study confirmed that capillaroscopy has a valuable role in the distinction between PRP and SRP due to SSc. Based on the findings of this study, a follow-up capillaroscopy after a year in all RP patients cannot be advocated.

Item Type: Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name: Zandbelt, M.M. and reumatoloog Deventer Ziekenhuis
Supervisor name: Meijs, J. and arts-onderzoeker LUMC and Huizinga, professor and reumatoloog LUMC
Faculty: Medical Sciences
Date Deposited: 25 Jun 2020 10:59
Last Modified: 25 Jun 2020 10:59
URI: https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/1982

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