Thermography for the detection of Secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon by means of the Distal-Dorsal Distance

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a disease characterized by a transient ischemic process, in an exaggerated vascular response to cold or emotional stress. Thermography is a resource applied to support diagnosis of changes in the circulatory system. The aim of the study was to use the DistalDorsal Thermography Difference (DDD) in thermographic images to assess thermal behavior in individuals with secondary RP. The research was carried out in the period between 2018 and 2019. The sample means of the Distal-consisted of 44 individuals in a control group (Control) and 44 individuals in a pathological group (RP2). The participants, after acclimatization, were submitted to the cold stress protocol. The protocol consisted of immersing hands in a container of water at a temperature of 15°C for 60 seconds. The acquisition of thermographic images was performed at the pre-test moment and at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 15th minute. At each time, the DDD values (of all fingers - minimum, maximum and sum) between the groups were analyzed. For statistical analysis, the independent t test and Cohen's d test were used. Regarding the results, there was a difference in relation to the rate of temperature recovery between the groups. The first group showed a rate of reheating just after the first minute subsequent to the cold stress test, while the RP2 group was unable to recover the temperature over 15 minutes. DDD, regardless of the selected criterion, proved to be a valid index for verifying the temperature gradient in the study with individuals identified with secondary RP.