Capillaroscopic characteristics in patients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: Insights from a Pilot Study / A Retrospective Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Simona Caraiola^(1,2), Tatiana Craioveanu^(1,*), Anca Maria Stoica⁽²⁾, Razvan Adrian Ionescu^(1,2)

1)“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
2)Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania

Objective. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate nailfold videocapillaroscopic (NVC) findings in patients with primary and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS and sSS), with a particular focus on their association with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), serological markers, as well as extraglandular involvement.
Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a cohort of 22 patients diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), 18 with pSS and 4 with sSS. Demographic, clinical, serological, and capillaroscopic data were collected and analyzed. NVC images (magnification 250x) were acquired using a high-resolution device (Smart G-Scope) to evaluate both normal and pathological patterns. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software, version 20 for Windows.
Results. A non-specific capillary pattern was predominant in 88.89 of pSS patients, with tortuous (94%), crossing (78%), and dilated capillaries (67%) being the most frequently observed findings. Pathological capillaries including megacapillaries, branching capillaries, and microhemorrhages were mutually exclusive with normal patterns (p=0.01, p=0.03). RP was present in 18.18% of patients (16.67% in pSS and 25% in sSS). Both tortuous and crossing capillaries were negatively associated with the presence of RP (p=0.02, p=0.04). Low complement C3 levels were correlated with dilated capillaries (p=0.02), and microhemorrhages were significantly associated with hematologic involvement (p=0.03).
Conclusions. According to our findings, NVC could serve as a valuable tool in identifying patients at greater risk of systemic complications in SS, offering critical insights into disease progression, and further research is warranted to explore these associations in larger cohorts.

Keywords: Sjögren’s syndrome, Nailfold capillaroscopy, Raynaud’s phenomenon, Capillary abnormalities, Primary Sjögren’s syndrome, Secondary Sjögren’s syndrome, Microvascular involvement, Complement C3, Extraglandular manifestations, Autoimmune disease

Corresponding author(s): Craioveanu Tatiana, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eroii Sanitari Boulevard number 8, Sector 2, Bucharest, Romania email: tatianacraioveanu13@gmail.com