Raynaud's phenomenon is seen in Beurger's vasculitis wherein small and medium sized arteries are affected. On exposure to cold environment our body tries to conserve body heat by peripheral vasoconstriction. In vasculitic patients, the arteries are already narrowed down by the inflammatory process, further vasoconstriction will result in occlusion of the vessel lumen, thereby resulting in this phenomenon.
Raynaud syndrome, also known as Raynaud's phenomenon, is a medical condition in which spasm of arteries cause episodes of reduced blood flow. Typically the fingers, and less commonly the toes, are involved. Rarely, the nose, ears, or lips are affected. The episodes result in the affected part turning white and then blue. Often, there is numbness or pain. As blood flow returns, the area turns red and burns. The episodes typically last minutes, but can last up to several hours.
Episodes are often triggered by cold or emotional stress. There are two main types: primary Raynaud's, when the cause is unknown, and secondary Raynaud's, which occurs as a result of another condition.
Secondary Raynaud's can occur due to a connective tissue disorder, such as scleroderma or lupus, injuries to the hands, prolonged vibration, smoking, thyroid problems, and certain medications, such as birth control pills.
Secondary Raynaud's has a number of associations: Connective tissue disorders: scleroderma systemic lupus erythematosus rheumatoid arthritis Sjögren's syndrome dermatomyositis polymyositis mixed connective tissue disease cold agglutinin disease Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Eating disorders: anorexia nervosa
Obstructive disorders: atherosclerosis Buerger's disease Takayasu's arteritis subclavian aneurysms thoracic outlet syndrome Drugs: beta-blockers cytotoxic drugs – particularly chemotherapeutics and most especially bleomycin ciclosporin bromocriptine ergotamine sulfasalazine
