Early detection of scleroderma-spectrum disorders by in vivo capillary microscopy: a prospective study of patients with Raynaud's phenomenon.

The condition of 25 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon, initially examined by in vivo capillary microscopy, was followed to determine how those who had shown scleroderma-pattern (SD-pattern) capillary abnormalities compared with other patients later in the course of disease. Limited follow-up information was obtained on 19 patients (10 with and 9 without the SD-pattern); the interval between the initial examination and the follow-up ranged from 9 months to 5 years. The results revealed that during the interval, 5 of the 10 patients who had initially displayed SD-pattern capillary abnormalities had developed SD (systemic sclerosis) or a closely related disease, but none of the 9 others. The length of the follow-up was comparable in both groups.