Study on the effectiveness of a nifedipine gel for treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a nifedipine gel in patients with primary or secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. Photopletismography was the instrumental examination test used to evaluate recovery time (time necessary for recuperation of normal capillary circulation) in 17 patients with primary or secondary Raynaud's phenomenon before and after the application of the gel. It emerged that of the 17 patients who used the gel, in 3 cases the recovery time was reduced, in 9 cases the recovery time was cancelled (no spasm occurred), in 5 cases the recovery time was not modified. Therefore, in more than 70% of patients the drug had a positive effect. Besides, 50% of the patients referred an improvement of the subjective symptomatology with reduction of cooling, torpidity, ache and paresthesias of the fingers. The results obtained, even if related to a restricted number of patients and to a brief interval of time, show the effectiveness of this drug in patients with primary or secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. We believe that these results, presented here for the first time, are important for investigators involved in the study of Raynaud's disease.