The Prevelance of Diagnosis as Raynaud's Disease among the People Complaint of Abnormal Sensation on Hands and Feet

Choi, Whan Seok; Ock, Seon Myoung; Byeon, Jun Hee; Jung, Sang Hoon; Park, Kyung Su; Park, Jeong Wook; Yoo, Dong Jin; Lee, Jung Bok; Kim, Churl Min

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The previous studies suggested that the rate of the people who reported having sensitivity to cold and Raynaud's disease were 12% and 5~10% of general population respectively. There are surprisingly few data on 'cold hands and feet syndrome', the conventional circulatory disorder in far-eastern Asia in spite of the assumption that it is a common disorder among Korean population. Besides, the prevalence of Raynaud's disease has not been studied for Korean complaint of the syndrome. Therefore, we conducted the survey regarding the frequency of Baynaud's disease and phenomenon among the people appealed abnormal sensory symptoms on hands and feet, and 'cold hands and feet syndrome'.
METHODS
The questionnaires were asked to 1,008 out- patients who complained abnormal sensory symptoms on hands and feet. The subjects were screened among the patients who visited the clinics, mainly department of family medicine in Uijongbu St. Mary's hospital from January to July 2003.
RESULTS
The most common abnormal sensory symptoms were tingling feeling and coldness, pain in the descending order. The mean age of the patients is 47 years, the average age at the onset of the symptoms is 40 years, and the mean duration they had been suffered by the symptoms is 7 years. During interview, 289 patients voluntarily appealed 'cold hands and feet syndrome' in expression of "I have cold extremities" or "I have the syndrome". Among the screened patients, 510 patients answered, "yes" to the question "Are your fingers unusually sensitive to cold?" Two hundred and nineteen patients (43%) of them showed Raynaud's phenomenon. One hundred and sixty patients were diagnosed as Raynaud's disease among 219 patients who had Raynaud's phenomenon. The rest 59 patients were diagnosed as secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. Eighty-seven patients (30%) of 289 patients who voluntarily reported 'cold hands and feet syndrome' were diagnosed as Raynaud's disease. The average age of Raynaud's disease patients is 37 years old, average first attack age is 24 years, and average suffering period is 14 years. Only 10% of cases experienced the first attacks after 40 years old. The attack rates are different by gender. The ratio is 2.3 and higher in female. Only six patients (4%) of Raynaud's disease had been diagnosed accurately. Fifty-three patients (33%) have family history and 41 of them are the first-degree relatives. The causes of secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (59 patients) are connective tissue disorders, neurologic diseases, carpal tunnel syndrome, hypothyroidism, vascular disorders, etc. The statistically significant factors that influence on Raynaud's disease are female, below 40 years old, stress, family history, hypertension, diabetes, etc. The statistical analysis in this study does not prove the association between the disease and the factors such as physical labor, manual labor using hands heavily, smoking, drinking, thyroid diseases, joint disorders, ischemic heart disease, depression.
CONCLUSION
Raynaud's disease has been underlooked even though it is not uncommon and can be easily diagnosed and treated. In conclusion, the result of our study suggests that abnormal sensory symptoms on hands and feet, especially 'cold hands and feet syndrome', the conventional circulatory disorder, are the medical condition where special concern on Raynaud's disease is required.