[Raynaud's phenomena, syndrome and disease. Definition]

The terminology of the acro-ischaemic states of the upper limb is muddled. It would be desirable for a strict definition of Raynaud's "phenomenon", "syndrome" and "disease" to be established and accepted by all angiologists. In the author's view, Raynaud's phenomenon is an intermittent circulatory crisis, leaving after it a normal finger. When set off by a detectable organic lesion, the phenomenon then belongs to the category of Raynaud's syndrome. When there is no organic lesion to explain it, it becomes a symptom of Raynaud's disease.