Objective: To determine the efficacy of ceramic impregnated gloves in the treatment of Raynaud's syndrome.
Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Setting: Teaching hospital outpatient clinic.
Participants: Ninety-three patients meeting the "Pal" criteria for Raynaud's syndrome.
Interventions: Treatment period of three months with use of ceramic-impregnated gloves.
Main outcome measures: Primary end points: Pain visual analogue scale ratings and diary; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, Hand questionnaire; Jamar grip strength; Purdue board test of hand dexterity. Secondary end points: Infrared skin temperature measurements; seven-point Likert scale rating of treatment.
Results: In 60 participants with complete data, improvements were noted in the visual analogue scale rating (p=0.001), DASH score (p=0.001), Jamar grip strength (p=0.002), infrared skin fingertip temperature (p=0.003), Purdue hand dexterity test (p=0.0001) and the Likert scale (p=0.001) with ceramic gloves over the placebo cotton gloves.
Conclusion: The ceramic-impregnated "thermoflow" gloves have a clinically important effect in Raynaud's syndrome.