Raynaud’s phenomenon in Northern Sweden: a population-based nested case–control study

The aim of this study was to determine the association between individual and external exposure factors, and the reporting of Raynaud’s phenomenon, with or without concomitant cold sensitivity. In a population-based nested case–control study, cases with Raynaud’s phenomenon (N = 578), and matched controls (N = 1156), were asked to respond to a questionnaire focusing on different risk factors. Univariate and multiple conditional logistic regression were performed. Analyses were stratified according to whether the cases reported cold sensitivity or not. In total, 1400 out of 1734 study subjects answered the questionnaire (response rate 80.7%). In the final multiple model, the factor with the strongest association to Raynaud’s phenomenon, with and without cold sensitivity, was previous frostbite affecting the hands (OR 12.44; 95% CI 5.84–26.52 and OR 4.01; 95% CI 1.78–9.01, respectively). Upper extremity nerve injury was associated to reporting Raynaud’s phenomenon and cold sensitivity (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.29–3.85), but not Raynaud’s phenomenon alone. Reporting any exposure to hand-arm vibration or cumulative cold exposure was significant in univariate analyses for cases with both Raynaud’s phenomenon and cold sensitivity, but not in the multiple model. Raynaud’s phenomenon is strongly associated to previous cold injury, with a larger effect size among those who also report cold sensitivity. The fact that only upper extremity nerve injury differed significantly between case groups in our multiple model offers additional support to the neural basis for cold sensitivity.