STANDARDS FOR NAILFOLD CAPILLARY MICROSCO PY IN ROUTINE DIAGNOSIS

Background: Nailfold capillary microscopy is scientifically establishe d and recognized as a diagnostic tool in clinical routine. Ir is, howe ver, practiced in only a few centres. Methods: But since a more widesp read use of the method is to be expected for the near future, a consen sus-meeting was held, where all German-speaking clinicians and scienti sts, involved in capillary microscopy, were Invited. Here, the technic al procedure and the most important morphological parameters were eval uated and defined according to practical clinical aspects. Results and conclusion: The main task of the consensus-meeting was to develop a s tandard evaluation sheet, accompanied by art explanation sheer. This s tandard evaluation sheet focusses on semiquantitative registration of morphological parameters like density, dilation avascular fields, peri vascular enema, microbleeding, torsion, atypical capillaries and giant capillaries. This standard evaluation sheet is to be validated by det ermining the inter-observer-variance. Later-on an illustrated practica l guideline will be published.