THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUBJECTIVE VASOSPASTIC COMPLAINTS AND FINGERBLOOD-FLOW MEASUREMENTS IN RAYNAUDS-PHENOMENON

Background. Objective circulatory tests in patients with Raynaud's phe nomenon have only rarely been related to subjective complaints. Method s. In 55 Raynaud patients the correlation between daily self-recorded frequency, duration and severity of vasospastic attacks and the measur ement of finger skin blood flow during local cooling was investigated. Results. No significant correlations were found between complaints as registered in the diaries and finger skin temperature and laser Doppl er flux before, during and after a standardized local cooling procedur e. Conclusion. Finger skin blood flow measurements do not necessarily reflect digital vasospasm in daily life. Besides studies on the diagno stic value and reproducibility of skin blood flow measurements in Rayn aud's phenomenon, the relationship of test results to subjective compl aints should be established.