Evaluation of abnormal complete blood count values in primary Raynaud’s Phenomenon

Ozden Vezir, Esra Ertürk Tekin

Abstract

Background: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate changes in complete blood count (CBC) values in patients diagnosed with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP). Most diagnostic tests for Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) aim to identify underlying diseases. When no such disease is detected, the condition is termed primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP).
Methods: Data were collected from a single-centre database, consisting of 2215 patients evaluated between 2010 and 2019. This study included 471 patients diagnosed with PRP and 339 healthy controls. A total of 1069 patients diagnosed with RP at our hospital were initially considered. Exclusion criteria were applied, resulting in the selection of 471 PRP patients for the study group. During the same period, 1146 healthy individuals with similar demographic characteristics were also evaluated, and 339 were included as the control group after applying exclusion criteria. CBC data of both groups were compared. The study retrospectively analysed patients diagnosed with PRP. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software.
Results: Significant differences were observed between the PRP and control groups in platelet distribution width (PDW), red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet count (PLT), and mean platelet volume (MPV) (p < 0.00001). PRP patients exhibited increased PDW, RDW, and PLT values, and decreased MPV values. Regression analysis identified PDW (CI = 0.958–0.988) as the best predictive parameter for PRP, followed by RDW (CI = 0.769–0.835). Other parameters showed lower predictive power.
Conclusion: The pathophysiology of PRP remains unclear. However, the observed changes inCBC values may enhance understanding of PRP mechanisms. These haematological parameters could potentially serve as biomarkers for PRP diagnosis and prognosis.