Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy Is a Useful Tool to Recognize Definite Forms of Systemic Sclerosis and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myositis in Interstitial Lung Disease Patients
Domenico Sambataro,
Gianluca Sambataro,
Alessandro Libra,
Giovanna Vignigni,
Fabio Pino,
Evelina Fagone,
Mary Fruciano,
Elisa Gili,
Francesca Pignataro,
Nicoletta Del Papa,
Carlo Vancheri
Affiliations
Domenico Sambataro
Artroreuma S.R.L., Outpatient of Rheumatology associated with the National Health System corso S. Vito 53, 95030 Mascalucia, Italy
Gianluca Sambataro
Artroreuma S.R.L., Outpatient of Rheumatology associated with the National Health System corso S. Vito 53, 95030 Mascalucia, Italy
Alessandro Libra
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Giovanna Vignigni
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Fabio Pino
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Evelina Fagone
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Mary Fruciano
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Elisa Gili
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Francesca Pignataro
Scleroderma Clinic, Department of Rheumatology, ASST G. Pini-CTO, 20122 Milan, Italy
Nicoletta Del Papa
Scleroderma Clinic, Department of Rheumatology, ASST G. Pini-CTO, 20122 Milan, Italy
Carlo Vancheri
Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. “Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele” Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is an easy tool used for the assessment of patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) as possibly associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Recent insights have also highlighted its role in the diagnostic assessment of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). The aim of this study is to describe the diagnostic role of NVC in a series of 361 consecutive patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). All the patients were assessed by clinical pulmonary and rheumatic examinations, blood exams, high-resolution computed tomography and NVC. NVC was considered positive only in the presence of avascular areas or giant capillaries, but also, the presence of bushy capillaries (BCs) was recorded. NVC was positive in 17.7% of ILD patients and in 78.1% of ILD patients associated with a diagnosis of connective tissue disease (CTD). In 25% of SSc-ILD patients, NVC proved necessary for a correct diagnosis. The presence of BCs and/or NVC positivity in ILD patients with normal levels of creatine phosphokinase is associated with amyopathic IIM, regardless the presence of RP. In conclusion, NVC is useful for the diagnostic assessment of incomplete forms of CTD and in amyopathic IIMs. NVC should be considered in the diagnostic assessment of ILD patients regardless of the presence of RP.
