Investigation of laboratory parameters in primary Raynaud's phenomenon : Their changes and clinical significance. Discussion

The authors investigated 125 patients suffering from primary Raynaud's phenomenon by the following laboratory hematologic parameters: (1) cryofibrinogen and cryoglobulins ; (2) serum albumins and immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, and IgM, as well as complement factors C3 and C4; (3) clotting inhibitors, antithrombin III, protein C and protein S, as well as α 1 antitrypsin. Results were as follows: 77 (62%) patients had cryofibrinogen in their blood plasma, 50 (40%) patients had precipitation of cryoglobulins, and 65 (52%) patients had an increase of α 2 globulin in the serum electrophoresis. Of the immunoglobulins, IgM was found increased in 42 patients (34%). Of the clotting time inhibitors, antithrombin III (AT III) had a lower activity in 50 (40%) patients as compared with that of normal subjects. Protein C, protein S, and α 1 antitrypsin levels were lower in 21 (16.8%), 13 (10.4%), and 10 (8%) of patients, respectively. Statistical analysis of the results showed that all the protein fractions except for γ-globulin presented a statistically significant difference as compared with those of the 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 significant lower values (P < 0.001 and P < 0.0001 respectively). Finally, AT III appeared in lower values than those of the normal controls, being statistically significant (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon present changes in the levels of certain hematologic parameters, a fact that is probably connected with etiology. Thus further study and assessment might contribute to the diagnosis, discovery of the subjective systemic etiology, and better therapeutic management of Raynaud's phenomenon.