How often do people with scleroderma or lupus develop Raynaud’s?
About 95 percent of people with scleroderma have Raynaud’s, which may be the first symptom. Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease in which the body produces too much collagen, causing the skin and internal organs — including blood vessels — to harden and thicken. Among people with lupus, another autoimmune condition, about 20 percent develop Raynaud’s. People with Raynaud’s caused by lupus tend to have vasculitis, an inflammation of the wall of the blood vessels. Except for my cold hands, I feel fine. Do I need to be concerned? Knowing whether your case is secondary can help you get a jump on treatments for the underlying disease. Lupus, for example, may affect the kidneys, but you may not have any other symptoms besides cold hands. Scleroderma may affect the lungs but, again, produce no symptoms initially. In some cases, then, Raynaud’s becomes the first signal that something is wrong. I’m told I have primary Raynaud’s, but could it become secondary later on? Yes, it is possible, espec
