The Use of Hemorheological and Microcirculatory Parameters in Evaluating the Effect of Treatment in Raynaud's Phenomenon

Hemorheological and microcirculatory techniques were used to explore whether these methods could be used to make objective the possibly subjective changes induced by therapeutic intervention. In this study a vasoactive drug, ketanserin, was used in the treatment of patients with primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. The subjective clinical improvement in the acute situation could be con firmed by an increase in red blood cell velocity in the nailfold capillaries before and after cold provocation. Dynamic capillary microscopy even allowed dis crimination between patients who did and those who did not respond to longer lasting treatment with ketanserin. The hemorheological parameters did not dis tinguish respondents from nonrespondents. In conclusion, dynamic capillary microscopy can be used to evaluate subjec tive changes of treatment and to distinguish respondents from nonrespondents to treatment.