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A minority of patients with isolated Raynaud phenomenon (RP) eventually develop associated systemic diseases. In this study from a specialty clinic in Austria, researchers sought to determine the rate of transition from primary RP (i.e., RP without any associated disease) to secondary RP (i.e., RP associated with systemic disorders).
Researchers identified 236 patients with primary RP after exhaustive evaluation to rule out secondary causes. During a mean follow-up of 11 years, 23 patients (10%) developed definite secondary RP; the most common underlying diseases were scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. An additional 23 patients progressed to “suspected” secondary RP; that is, they developed nonspecific ab…