Background: Early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) a condition defined by joint swelling, with or without morning stiffness, and/or swelling of metacarpophalangeal and/or metatarsophalangeal joints. Nail fold video-capillaroscopy (NVC) is important for the evaluation of microcirculation in vivo. There are limited data about the role of NVC in EIA.
Objectives: To study the capillaroscopic pattern in patients with EIA.
Patients and methods: 27 patients with EIA - 21 women, 6 men, mean age of 41.6±4.2 yrs, mean disease duration of 6.9±3.1 months. Anamnesis and clinical examination were perform to identify clinical signs associated with connective tissue diseases. All the patients were nonsmokers and had no personal medical history of diabetes or non-immune mediated occlusive vascular disease. Blood and urine samples were collected for bio-chemical and immunological evaluation. All the patients were interrogated by NVC.
Results: Raynaud's phenomenon was found in 9 patients, puffy fingers in 2 pts, telangiectasia in 2 pts, Sicca symptoms in 6 pts, malar rash in 2 pts, photosensitivity and psoriasis plaque in one patient. Combined information from clinical exam, NVC and immunological assessment allowed a specific diagnosis in 5 patients.
Conclusions: Nail fold capillaroscopy assessment can provide further information and has diagnostic value in some cases of early arthritis. Nail fold capillaroscopy assessment contribution to the differential diagnosis in patients with early arthritis is sometimes significant, especially in poorly clinical and immunological defined cases.
Keywords: early inflammatory arthritis; Raynaud`s phenomenon; antinuclear antibodies; capillaroscopy.