Capillaroscopy "not normal"?

[Marleyban]

Hey everyone!

I am new here, recently found this helpful community that helps me make clear many questions. Thanks a lot for that

I am female, 35 years old, recently diagnosed with Raynaud's, after having intense everyday episodes with colour changes and numbness in left-hand-fingers, and later on, in left-feet-toes. I had blood tests and still waiting for their results. In the meanwhile, I also had capillaroscopy test and the doctor that performed it to me told me that "it does not look normal", without giving me any additional information about what this means. She seemed a little worried, though. I understand that she might be waiting for the ANA results to come to a more solid conclusion. She also prescribed to me nifedipine (30mg, daily). I am wondering, though, apart the ANA results, is a "bad" capillaroscopy enough to show that there is a systemic autoimmune desease?

Thank you for you time!

[LucyJean]

Hi there, if you have the right equipment then you can tell an awful lot from a capillaroscopy. In systemic sclerosis capillary abnormalities appear and evolve in a clearly defined sequence called the scleroderma pattern, which correlates with internal organ involvement.

Here is a link to some helpful information.

sclerodermainfo.org/nailfol...

Unless you are presenting with other abnormal symptoms that are typical of scleroderma then I wouldn't be getting too concerned yet. Raynauds can be a primary or secondary condition. It is not more severe in people with scleroderma, it just has a different cause.

All my best

Lucy xxx

[Marleyban in reply to LucyJean]

Hey Lucy,

Thank you very much for your kind reply! Yes, it's like the doctor saw a (scleroderma?) pattern, but did not tell me clearly yet, I guess she wants to see those pending lab tests to make sure, or something like that. For the time being, I do not present any other symptoms.