Sudden Hand Color Changes in a Young Man

Abstract

A 21-year-old man, who was a heavy smoker, presented to his local health center with a history of pain, numbness, tingling, and swelling in his fingers and both palms, along with cold sensitivity. His symptoms started suddenly one hour after his daily outdoor walk. He had similar attacks previously, which occurred without a specific reason and lasted for variable amounts of time. He had no history of trauma, joint pain, rash, shortness of breath, or visual problems. On examination, the patient was comfortable in room air. His vital signs were within normal ranges. Color changes, including white, red, and blue discoloration, are shown in Figure 1. His complete blood count, inflammatory markers, anti-nuclear antibody, and rheumatoid factor test were unremarkable. Informed consent was obtained from the patient.

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