Raynaud's Disease: Reduced Hand Blood Flows with Normal Blood Viscosity

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Abstract
Summary: Raynaud's disease: Reduced hand blood flows with normal blood viscosity. Hand blood flows and the blood and plasma viscosities were measured in patients with Raynaud's disease in an attempt to identify the mechanism of the episodic vascular insufficiency. Using venous occlusion plethysmography the following observations were made: (1J the hand blood flows were significantly less than in normals at 32°, 27° and 20°C; (2) the percentage decrease in flow with cooling was greater than in normals and (3) cooling of one hand from 32° to 27°C caused an abnormal decrease in flow through the contralateral hand. Using a rotational viscometer the blood and plasma viscosities were found to be normal at both high and low shear rates. The percentage increase in the blood viscosity with cooling from 35° to 25° was also normal. These studies demonstrate an increased constrictive response of the cutaneous vasculature of the hand to both local and reflex stimulation, and exclude a rheological abnormality, under conditions similar to those of the present study.