Abstract
We studied 910 cases of collagen diseases (80 cases), Raynaud’s disease (RD)(43 cases) and various skin diseases (787 cases) for one and half years in our department. The mean age of the patients was 52.6 years old and there were 334 male and 576 female cases. The existence of a past history of chilblain is predominant in the patients from 30 to 60 years of age and females were predominant. The localization of chilblain was in both hands and feet, feet only, hands only, etc. A total 67.5% showed complications with collagen diseases (SSc 81.5%, RD 72.4%, incomplete SSc 67.5%, SLE 68.8%, Sjögren syndrome (Sjs) 66%, Behçhet’s disease 57.1%, sarcoidosis & RA 54.5%, and dermatomyositis 50%), especially cases with positive anti-centromere antibodies were numerous (75%). The occurrence pattern of chilblain is classified into four types; younger type (onset of infant and diminished in 20-year-old patients), middle-aged type (continued by middle age), continuous type and delayed/recurrence type. Collagen diseases and RD are predominant in delayed/recurrence type case. A decrease in the wave-height in prethismography after cold water (15°C) exposure (10 min.) for both hands is especially observed in continuous type cases. Chilblain is seen in patients with a labile body temperature; especially a delayed/recurrence type. Therefore examining a past history and occurrence patterns of chilblain is considered to be useful for differentiating collagen diseases such as SSc, Sjs, SLE etc.
