Nailfold capillary patterns correlate with age, gender, lifestyle habits, and fingertip temperature

Abstract

Nailfold capillaroscopy is a simple and noninvasive imaging tool to visualize the pattern of capillaries. Microvascular abnormalities have been previously observed in autoimmune disease such as systemic sclerosis and diabetes. Thus, early detection of microvascular dysfunction or changes has promising way for the one of the disease preventions. In this study, for routine health checkups, we evaluated the relationship between the structure of nailfold capillaries and lifestyle habits in healthy participants. First, we analyzed the correlation of structural parameters of nailfold capillaries with values of responses to questions on their lifestyle habits in 224 participants. The results suggested that an unhealthy lifestyle, including poor sleeping habits, smoking, intense exercise, and drinking alcohol, causes a change in the pattern of nailfold capillaries. We then investigated whether the pattern of nailfold capillaries changed after a conscious improvement in lifestyle habits. One to two weeks after the self-improvement of lifestyle habits, the hairpin loops sharpened or straightened. In conclusion, this study is the first report indicating a correlation between the structure of nailfold capillaries and lifestyle habits in a non-clinical population. The simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive method using nailfold microscopy can be employed for routine health checkups everywhere even at a bedside.