Nailfold capillaroscopy in paediatrics – single centre experience

The aim of this paper is to present nailfold capillaroscopy, explain the steps while performing the procedure and indications for capillaroscopy combined with presentation of current experience with the method at the Department of Rheumatology, Srebrnjak Children’s Hospital. Retrospective search of hospital patient records was performed in order to identify patients who underwent capillaroscopy. We analysed the indications for the procedure, capillaroscopic findings, and gender and age distribution of patients. During the period from January 1st 2016 until December 31st 2018, we performed 465 nailfold capillaroscopies in 127 patients (102 (80.3%) girls and 25 (19.7%) boys), mean age 14.9 years. Indication for nailfold capillaroscopy was made by paediatric rheumatologist in 99 patients, and the rest of the procedures were recommended by other paediatric subspecialists (pulmonologist, neurologist and infectious disease specialist). Normal capillaroscopy finding was recorded in 27 (5.8%) patients, whereas the remaining patients had evident microvascular abnormalities. Nailfold capillaroscopy is a non-invasive, simple, easily reproducible procedure crucial for diagnosing primary Raynaud syndrome, but also part of diagnostic workup for secondary Raynaud syndrome and other rheumatic disease (scleroderma, vasculitis, mixed connective tissue disease, dermatomyositis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis). We hope that this paper will familiarise other paediatric subspecialists involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases causing microvascular abnormalities with this method and lead to the introduction of capillaroscopy in their practice. Key words: nailfold capillaroscopy ; PEDIATRICS

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