White fingers Harmless symptom or sign of serious illness?

Raynaud's syndrome: Simple examinations provide information about the risk
During the cold season, some people show noticeably pale fingers and toes. They suffer from the so-called Raynaud syndrome (also Weissfinger phenomenon or Raynaud's disease), a circulatory disorder that is "completely harmless" in most cases, reports the MedUni Vienna. But could also be a serious disease behind the complaints. By a simple examination can be estimated "not only the risk for another illness, but also for a reduced life expectancy", so the message of the MedUni Vienna.

In Raynaud's syndrome, white and very cold hands or fingers are a conspicuous consequence of circulatory disorders. Although these are "completely harmless in 90 percent of all cases", in rare cases another disease could be behind it, warns the MedUni Vienna. A research group of the university has found in recent studies that relatively simple investigations are sufficient for risk assessment. It is thus possible to estimate which persons affected benefit particularly from regular visits to the doctor.

The pale fingers in Raynaud's disease are the result of a circulatory disorder and usually harmless. (Image: Medical University of Vienna)

Two methods of risk assessment
In general, the white fingers and toes in Raynaud's disease are triggered by cold or stress, and when they are supplied with heat, they disappear by themselves. However, about ten percent of those affected hid a disease behind the symptom, reports the MedUni Vienna. This could be, for example, "autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, tumors or drug side effects." What cause the symptoms actually have, can be - in addition to the history - determined by two effective methods of investigation. "On the one hand, the capillaries of the nail fold are examined by capillary microscopy. And on the other hand, a blood test checks whether, for example, autoantibodies attack one's own organism, "reports MedUni Vienna.

Capillaries and antibodies give information
The research group of the MedUni Vienna with the study leaders Oliver Schlager and Michael Gschwandtner from the Clinical Departments of Angiology evaluated the data from a total of 2,958 patients from the years 1994 to 2008 in order to determine the significance of the diagnosis of capillary abnormalities and the detection of capillary abnormalities Have autoantibodies in those with white-fingered life-related symptoms. "It was found that women who were diagnosed with abnormalities using these tests had a lower probability of survival," reports MedUni Vienna. With a demonstration of capillary abnormalities and autoantibodies, the life expectancy of women was statistically the shortest. "In men, life expectancy - independent of capillaries and antibodies - was reduced," according to the University's announcement. However, the results are no cause for concern, emphasizes study director Oliver Schlager. "The statistical analysis only shows that patients with these abnormalities should undergo more frequent than usual control examinations," Schlager continues. (Fp)