Specialty Rheumatology ICD-9-CM 443.0 | ICD-10 I73.0 OMIM 179600 | |
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Synonyms Raynaud's disease, Raynaud's phenomenon, Raynaud's syndrome Pronunciation pronunciation: /reɪˈnoʊz/ ray-NOHZ | ||
Raynaud syndrome, also known as Raynaud's, is a medical condition in which spasm of arteries cause episodes of reduced blood flow. Typically the fingers, and less commonly the toes, are involved. Rarely, the nose, ears, or lips are affected. The episodes result in the affected part turning white and then blue. Often there is numbness or pain. As blood flow returns, the area turns red and burns. The episodes typically last minutes but can last up to several hours.
Contents
- Signs and symptoms
- Primary
- Secondary
- Mechanism
- Diagnosis
- Management
- Medications
- Surgery
- Alternative medicine
- References
Episodes are often triggered by cold or emotional stress. There are two main types: primary Raynaud's when the cause is unknown and secondary Raynaud's which occurs as a result of another condition. Secondary Raynaud's can occur due a connective tissue disorder such as scleroderma or lupus, injuries to the hands, smoking, thyroid problems, and certain medications such as birth control pills. Diagnosis is typically based on the symptoms.
The primary treatment is avoiding the cold. Other measures include the discontinuation of nicotine or stimulants use. Medications for treatment of cases that do not improve include calcium channel blockers and iloprost. Little evidence supports alternative medicine. Severe disease may rarely be complicated by skin sores or gangrene.
About 4% of people have the condition. Onset of the primary form is typically between ages 15 and 30 and occurs more frequently in females. The secondary form usually affects older people. Both forms are more common in cold climates. It is named after French physician Maurice Raynaud who described the condition in 1862.
Signs and symptoms
The condition can cause pain within the affected extremities, discoloration (paleness), and sensations of cold and/or numbness. This can often be distressing to those who are not diagnosed, and sometimes it can be obstructive. If someone with Raynaud's is placed into a cold climate, it could potentially become dangerous.
- When exposed to cold temperatures, the blood supply to the fingers or toes, and in some cases the nose or earlobes, is markedly reduced; the skin turns pale or white (called pallor) and becomes cold and numb.
- When the oxygen supply is depleted, the skin color turns blue (called cyanosis).
- These events are episodic, and when the episode subsides or the area is warmed, the blood flow returns, and the skin color first turns red (rubor), and then back to normal, often accompanied by swelling, tingling, and a painful "pins and needles" sensation.
All three color changes are observed in classic Raynaud's. However, not all patients see all of the aforementioned color changes in all episodes, especially in milder cases of the condition. Symptoms are thought to be due to reactive hyperemias of the areas deprived of blood flow.
In pregnancy, this sign normally disappears owing to increased surface blood flow. Raynaud's has also occurred in breastfeeding mothers, causing nipples to turn white and become extremely painful. Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker and vasodilator, was recommended to increase blood flow to the extremities and noticeably relieved pain in the breast in an extremely small study group.
Primary
Raynaud's disease, or "Primary Raynaud's", is diagnosed if the symptoms are idiopathic, that is, if they occur by themselves and not in association with other diseases. Some refer to Primary Raynaud's disease as "being allergic to coldness". It often develops in young women in their teens and early adulthood. Primary Raynaud's is thought to be at least partly hereditary, although specific genes have not yet been identified.
Smoking increases frequency and intensity of attacks, and there is a hormonal component. Caffeine also worsens the attacks. Sufferers are more likely to have migraines and angina.
Secondary
Raynaud's phenomenon, or "Secondary Raynaud's", occurs secondary to a wide variety of other conditions.
Secondary Raynaud's has a number of associations:
Raynaud's can herald these diseases by periods of more than twenty years in some cases, making it effectively their first presenting symptom. This may be the case in the CREST syndrome, of which Raynaud's is a part.
Patients with Secondary Raynaud's can also have symptoms related to their underlying diseases. Raynaud's phenomenon is the initial symptom that presents for 70% of patients with scleroderma, a skin and joint disease.
When Raynaud's phenomenon is limited to one hand or one foot, it is referred to as Unilateral Raynaud's. This is an uncommon form, and it is always secondary to local or regional vascular disease. It commonly progresses within several years to affect other limbs as the vascular disease progresses.
Mechanism
Its pathophysiology includes hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system causing extreme vasoconstriction of the peripheral blood vessels, leading to tissue hypoxia.
Diagnosis
It is important to distinguish Raynaud's disease (primary Raynaud's) from phenomenon (secondary Raynaud's). Looking for signs of arthritis or vasculitis as well as a number of laboratory tests may separate them. If suspected to be secondary to systemic sclerosis, one tool which may help aid in the prediction of systemic sclerosis is thermography.
A careful medical history will often reveal whether the condition is primary or secondary. Once this has been established, an examination is largely to identify or exclude possible secondary causes.
To aid in the diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon, multiple sets of diagnostic criteria have been proposed. Table 1 below provides a summary of these various diagnostic criteria.
Recently, International Consensus Criteria were developed for the diagnosis of primary Raynaud's phenomenon by a panel of multiple experts in the fields of rheumatology and dermatology.
Management
Secondary Raynaud's is managed primarily by treating the underlying cause and as primary Raynaud's, avoiding triggers, such as cold, emotional and environmental stress, vibrations and repetitive motions, and avoiding smoking (including passive smoking) and sympathomimetic drugs.
Medications
Medications can be helpful for moderate or severe RP.
Surgery
Alternative medicine
Evidence does not support the use of alternative medicine including acupuncture and laser therapy.