Examination
A careful medical history will often reveal whether the condition is primary or secondary. Once this has been established, an examination is largely to identify or exclude possible secondary causes.
- Digital artery pressure: pressures are measured in the arteries of the fingers before and after the hands have been cooled. A decrease of at least 15 mmHg is diagnostic (positive).
- Doppler ultrasound: to assess blood flow.
- Full blood count: this may reveal a normocytic anaemia suggesting the anaemia of chronic disease or renal failure.
- Blood test for urea and electrolytes: this may reveal renal impairment.
- Thyroid function tests: this may reveal hypothyroidism.
- An autoantibody screen, tests for rheumatoid factor, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein, which may reveal specific causative illnesses or a generalised inflammatory process.
- Nail fold vasculature: this can be examined under the microscope.
Read more about this topic: Raynaud's Phenomenon
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