Hyperventilation and Raynaud's disease.

A 42 year old woman with long standing Raynaud's disease, unresponsive to medical and surgical treatment, was noted to have a typical history of the hyperventilation syndrome. Rewarming of the hands following cold challenge was markedly prolonged in the presence of hypocapnia. It is suggested that hyperventilation may have an aetiological role in maintaining digital artery spasm in Raynaud's disease, which would benefit from recognition and treatment.