Evaluation of thermography in the patients with collagen disease receiving infusion of lipo-PGE₁

Abstract

Peripheral circulation of the fingers were analyzed by use of thermography in eight patients with PSS and MCTD. Skin temperature of the fingers in those patients was lower than that in controls. Recovery after exposure of the chilled water in the fingers of the patients tended to be much delayed than in those of controls. Patterns of the recovery of the temperature in the fingers were different between patients with severe damage of peripheral circulation and controls : the former was recovered from the paroximal part to distal part, whereas the latter was recovered from the tips of the finger. Raynaud's phenomenon, pain as well as the ulcer of the tips of the fingers were recovered after infusion of lipo-PGE₁. Thermography examination revealed that the duration of the effect of lipo-PGE₁, is 2-3 hours. It is speculated that the administration of lipo-PGE₁ might be useful for preventing fingers from the severe damage due to vascultis.