CAPILLAROSCOPY – A VALUABLE TOOL FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF VASCULAR IMPAIRMENT IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Abstract

Vascular injury is the main change the pathogenesis of SSc and occurs earlier, before the appearance of fibrosis. The new scleroderma 2013 criteria increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, by including capillaroscopic changes, besides the clinical picture and serological disease. Peripheral microvascular changes in capillaroscopy correlate with the severity of the skin damage but also with systemic involvement. The objective of this paper is to review and describe the current knowledge on nailfold capillaroscopy, as an easy, non-invasive and low cost technique for evaluating the vascular microangiopathy.

Keywords

• nailfold capillaroscopy
• scleroderma pattern
• systemic sclerosis
• megacapillary
• giant capillary