[Raynaud's phenomenon, laser Doppler, isothermal chamber. Exploration of normal and pathologic subjects]

The investigation of Raynaud's phenomenon in angiological practice has not yet been standardized. Two points need to be resolved. The cold test is either too empirical and inaccurate or non-uniform. None of the tests of functional vascular exploration have been proven to be reliable, except, perhaps, for capillaroscopy. Laser Doppler studies the cutaneous microcirculatory velocity and its response to thermal stimulation. An isothermic chamber can be used to chill the skin and reheat the skin according to a simple and standardized technique. This protocol was performed in 14 normal subjects, 28 patients with Raynaud's disease and 19 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon, which is clearly individualized. In Raynaud's disease, there appears to be an exageration of cutaneous sympathetic tone compared to normal subjects. This methodology is simple to perform and it provides rapid diagnostic results in the consulting rooms.