Abstract
Although Raynaud’s phenomenon is very common, certain accompanying features may point to an associated connective tissue disease. Swelling of the extremities and carpal tunnel syndrome are two features that, when seen in a patient with Raynaud’s phenomenon, may be indicative of a scleroderma spectrum disorder, particularly early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis. Key investigations include autoantibody profile and nailfold capillaroscopy. Onset of symptoms after pregnancy is well recognized and may reflect hormonal changes although the basis is unclear. Baseline assessment of internal organ function is critical to long-term management of the patient with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis.
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Denton, C.P. (2011). A 30-Year-Old Woman with Puffy Hands, Raynaud’s Phenomenon, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In: Silver, R., Denton, C. (eds) Case Studies in Systemic Sclerosis. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-641-2_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-641-2_2
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