INVESTIGATION OF LABORATORY PARAMETERS IN PRIMARY RAYNAUDS-PHENOMENON- THEIR CHANGES AND CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE

The authors investigated 125 patients suffering from primary Raynaud's phenomenon by the following laboratory hematologic parameters: (1) cr yofibrinogen and cryoglobulins; (2) serum albumins and immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, and IgM, as well as complement factors C3 and C4; (3) clott ing inhibitors, antithrombin III, protein C and protein S, as well as alpha(1) antitrypsin. Results were as follows: 77 (62%) patients had c ryofibrinogen in their blood plasma, 50 (40%) patients had precipitati on of cryoglobulins, and 65 (52%) patients had an increase of alpha(2) globulin in the serum electrophoresis. Of the immunoglobulins, IgM wa s found increased in 42 patients (34%). Of the clotting time inhibitor s, antithrombin III CAT III) had a lower activity in 50 (40%) patients as compared with that of normal subjects. Protein C, protein S, and a lpha(1) antitrypsin levels were lower in 21 (16.8%), 13 (10.4%), and 1 0 (8%) of patients, respectively. Statistical analysis of the results showed that all the protein fractions except for gamma-globulin presen ted a statistically significant difference as compared with those of t he controls (P < 0.0001). Immunoglobulins IgG and IgA of the patients were significantly lower than those of the normal controls (P < 0.001) . The C3 and C4 factors of the complement presented statistically sign ificant lower values (P < 0.001 and P < 0.0001 respectively). Finally, AT III appeared in lower values than those of the normal controls, be ing statistically significant (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon present changes in the lev els of certain hematologic parameters, a fact that is probably connect ed with etiology. Thus further study and assessment might contribute t o the diagnosis, discovery of the subjective systemic etiology, and be tter therapeutic management of Raynaud's phenomenon.