Prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon and specific clinical signs related to progressive systemic sclerosis in the general population of Japan.

BACKGROUND

In order to evaluate the prevalence rates of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and specific clinical signs related to progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) in the general population of Japan, inquiries were made concerning RP in the hands and dermatologic examinations were also conducted.

METHODS

One thousand and sixty-three subjects (332 men and 731 women) over 30 years of age who underwent inhabitants' health examinations in 1990 were considered for this study.

RESULTS

The prevalence of RP was 3.0% in men and 3.4% in women. In 8 men and 17 women with RP who received the blood tests, the positive rates of antinuclear antibody (ANA) were 12.5% and 35.3% in men and women, respectively. The prevalence rates of all five specific clinical signs related to PSS, sclerodactyly, pitting scars of the fingers, brown pigmentation of the body, shortened frenulum of the tongue, and flexion contracture of fingers, were under 2% in men and 3% in women. In women with RP the prevalence rates of sclerodactyly, pitting scars of the fingertips, brown pigmentation of the body, and shortened frenulum of the tongue were 16.0, 4.0, 4.0, and 16.0%, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those of persons without RP.

CONCLUSIONS

Because some persons with primary RP may become typical cases of PSS within several years, a followup study, particularly for women who have positive titers of ANA with RP, should be carried out to find out whether the persons suffer from PSS or not.