Nailfolds capillary abnormalities in polyvinyl chloride production workers.

In an unselected group of 120 Polish employees of a PCV production plant, nailfold capillaroscopic as well as general medical examination and some laboratory investigations (serum paper electrophoresis, IgA, IgG, IgM immunoglobulin concentration) were performed. Capillary abnormalities were seen in 48 persons (40%). No correlation with the length of occupational exposure, age and immunoglobulin concentration was found. The most frequent capillary patterns were the following: spastic changes with atonic component (18X) with giant Raynaud's loops in 10 of them, discrete spastic abnormalities (15X), scleroderma-like picture (12X) with a prevalence of short scattered capillaries and disarrangement of polarity. The percentage of persons with capillary abnormalities in this study (40%) is very similar to results described by Maricq (1976, 1978) in England (39.5%) and in the USA (36%).