TABLE 5.

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy characteristics in CSU patients and their clinico‐serological associations.

NVC parameters (p‐value)	SCORE2 (OPT)	AE	Severity	Disease duration	History or presence of AID	ASST	Inflammation markers			EC markers
							CRP	ESR	Anemia	VEGF	SCF	sE‐selectin
Capillary density	0.94	0.45	0.08	0.50	0.87	0.72	0.41	0.64	0.23	0.30	0.79	0.49
Normal cap	0.95	0.81	0.11	0.75	0.97	0.91	0.13	0.34	0.044	0.035	0.53	0.56
Total abnormal cap	0.71	0.28	0.92	0.48	0.66	0.33	0.10	0.26	0.054	0.019	0.44	0.90
%Abnormal/total nb cap	0.79	0.33	0.79	0.51	0.63	0.51	0.059	0.21	0.038	0.004	0.48	0.89
Ramified cap	0.80	0.59	0.29	0.86	0.047	0.63	0.52	0.21	0.059	0.39	0.69	0.55
%Ramified/total nb cap	1.00	0.70	0.17	0.90	0.005	0.55	0.29	0.58	0.50	0.80	0.47	0.63
Concave cap	0.40	0.80	0.76	0.38	0.41	0.72	0.35	0.50	0.75	0.25	0.96	0.80
%Concave/total nb cap	0.58	0.92	0.24	0.07	0.39	0.59	0.86	0.32	0.49	0.10	0.83	0.91
Crossing cap	1.00	0.30	0.64	0.19	0.33	0.36	0.12	0.60	0.15	0.019	0.37	0.81
%Crossing/total nb cap	0.63	0.85	0.92	0.11	0.18	0.91	0.38	0.69	0.92	0.13	0.79	0.75
Regularly enlarged cap	0.41	0.83	0.47	0.67	0.049	0.71	0.24	0.12	0.66	0.07	0.84	0.07
Irregularly enlarged cap	0.80	0.52	0.47	0.82	0.31	0.71	0.47	0.14	0.96	0.74	0.47	0.043
Giant cap	ND	0.46	ND	ND	0.69	0.19	ND	ND	ND	ND	ND	ND
total nb of dilated cap	0.51	1.00	0.67	0.67	0.048	0.68	0.23	0.08	0.70	0.15	0.97	0.032
%nb dil/total nb cap	0.50	0.93	0.53	0.96	0.07	0.73	0.24	0.10	0.84	0.18	0.92	0.055
Microhemorrhages	0.19	0.81	0.70	0.76	0.22	0.79	0.51	0.49	0.65	0.95	0.21	0.42
NVC plexus score	0.95	0.72	0.97	0.39	0.67	0.49	0.16	0.58	0.64	0.75	0.65	0.88

Note: NVC parameters and their clinico‐serological associations are given using multiple regressions analyses, including age as a covariate and sex as a factor. p‐values are considered statistically significant when p < 0.05 (bold). Standard definitions of capillaroscopic evaluations suggested by the European League Against Rheumatism study group on microcirculation in rheumatic diseases (EULAR SG MC/RD) were applied ⁷ , ³⁸ . Capillary crossings were considered abnormal when >2 crossings were observed. The total number of abnormal shapes corresponded with the sum of all capillaries with multiple crossings (>2), ramifications and concave tips.

Abbreviations: AE, angioedema; AID, auto‐immune diseases; ASST, autologous serum skin test; cap, capillaries; CRP, C reactive protein; CSU, chronic spontaneous urticaria; EC, endothelial cell; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; nb, number; NS, not significant; NVC, nailfold videocapillaroscopy; SCF, stem cell factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.