Early detection of scleroderma-spectrum disorders by in vivo capillary microscopy: a prospective study of patients...

The condition of 25 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon, initially examined by in vivo capillary microscopy, was followed to determine how those who had shown scleroderma-pattern (SD-pattern) capillary abnormalities compared with other patients later in the course of disease. Limited follow-up information was obtained on 19 patients (10 with and 9 without the SD-pattern); the interval between the initial examination and the follow-up ranged from 9 months to 5 years. The results revealed that during the interval, 5 of the 10 patients who had initially displayed SD-pattern capillary abnormalities had developed SD (systemic sclerosis) or a closely related disease, but none of the 9 others. The length of the follow-up was comparable in both groups.