MICROVASCULAR ABNORMALITIES IN PATIENTS WITH VIBRATION WHITE FINGER

In vivo nailfold capillary microscopy was performed on 10 men with vib ration white finger (VWF) and 10 age-matched male controls. The observ ed nailfold capillaries required adaptation of Maricq's classification s and addition of new morphological scoring systems. These new classif ications produced numerical scores for assessing capillary: dropout, t ortuosity, elongation, visualization of subpapillary venular plexus, a nd the degree of disarrangement of nailfold capillary polarity. Applic ation of these new scores showed, for the first time, a complex patter n of abnormal nailfold capillaries in patients with VWF. Capillary dro pout was evident in 7/10 patients, with an associated disarrangement i n nailfold capillary polarity in five. All 10 controls had normal capi llary morphology. Tortuosity of the capillary loops and elongation of their length was observed in 30% of patients. These significant morpho logical alterations seen in VWF suggest a local small-vessel vasculiti s.