Background: Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) results from overactivation of small peripheral vessels to cold or mental stress. People usually present with tri- or biphasic color changes accompanied by neurological symptoms such as numbness or tingling. There are two types of RP: primary and secondary. The primary RP is common in the young age group and associated with more benign disease course. Thereby, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of primary RPs among medical students in the Western region of Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study carried out among medical students of Taibah University, Saudi Arabia, between November 2017 and April 2018. The questionnaire included responses related to RP symptoms, risk factors, and associated diseases.
Results: Of 300 students who responded to the questionnaire, 16 (5.3%) students reported RP based on the UK Scleroderma Study Group definition. The age of the majority of the participants was between 20 and 30 years. RP was observed more frequently in females (p = 0.005). Neurological symptoms were reported in 10 students (62.5%) with definite RP. Increase caffeine consumption, usage of contraceptive pills, and migraine were frequently found risk factors in students with RP (p = 0.05, 0.003, and 0.01, respectively).
Conclusion: The prevalence of RP is relatively low as compared to previous studies. Geographical distribution, genetics, or both might be the cause for these results. Female gender, more caffeine consumption, usage of contraceptive pills, and migraine were more frequently found risk factors in students with RP.
Key words: Prevalence, Raynaud's phenomena, medical students, Saudi Arabia
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