What Is Raynaud's Disease?

By dr. mera

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. Fava, A., & Boin, F. (1970, January 01). Historical Perspective of Raynaud's Phenomenon. Retrieved September 02, 2020, from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4939-1526-2_1
• 2. Hansen-Dispenza, H., MD. (2019, November 02). Raynaud Phenomenon: Practice Essentials,Pathophysiology, Etiology. Retrieved 2020, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/331197-overview#a5
• 3. Goudry, B., Bell, L., Langtree, M., & Moorthy, A. (2012). Diagnosis and management of Raynaud’s phenomenon. BMJ, 344, 37-42. doi:10.1136/bmj.e289

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4. Causes

The etiology of primary Raynaud’s phenomenon hasn’t been identified. Some researchers believe that its’ cause is autoimmune, which basically means that the immune system, in a person with this condition, attacks the host’s cells, eventually causing the disease. On the other hand, secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon has many possible causes that can be divided into occupational, related to diseases of the blood (hematologic), rheumatologic diseases (mostly autoimmune), occlusive arterial diseases (diseases that occlude blood vessels), medication-induced (cancer drugs and beta-blockers), among others.

Examples of occupational causes include jobs the handling of vibrating tools, cold exposure, and exposure to specific chemicals. Some hematologic causes of secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon include polycythemia vera, leukemia, multiple deficiencies of anticoagulant proteins or clotting factors in the blood (protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, Factor V Leiden mutation), and infectious hepatitis B and C. Rheumatologic causes are also varied, but it is estimated that roughly ninety percent of patients with systemic sclerosis have Raynaud’s phenomenon. Other rheumatologic causes include mixed connective tissue disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis or polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome.³Goudry, B., Bell, L., Langtree, M., & Moorthy, A. (2012). Diagnosis and management of Raynaud’s phenomenon. BMJ, 344, 37-42. doi:10.1136/bmj.e289