[Acral vasospasm in Crohn's disease]

55 patients with Crohn's disease and 55 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were studied by nailfold capillary microscopy for evidence of microcirculatory abnormalities. Digital capillary blood flow measurements in combination with a local cooling test were assessed by videocapillaroscopy using the flying-sport technique. We found a blood flow stop with cold exposure in 44 of the 55 patients with Crohn's disease (mean duration 39 seconds) but in 5 of the 55 control subjects only (mean duration 19 seconds). There was no significant difference in skin temperature between the two groups. Intravital microscopy of nailfold capillaries revealed a marked reduction in capillary density (p less than 0.001) compared to normal subjects. The association of vasoconstrictive reaction in finger microcirculation of patients with Crohn's disease suggests a vasospastic tendency in this disorder.