Capillaroscopy at the nail bed in functioning people aged 70 and over.

A long survey in an homogenous population of 150 healthy and functioning male and female subjects 70 years of age and over is reported. In vivo capillaroscopic patterns observed at the nail bed, besides the lips, the gums, the tongue and the bulbar conjunctiva, are described and sometimes compared with fingertip biopsy. Three patterns are distinguished: (1) type I the most frequent similar to the children's one (2) type II less frequent but rather peculiar to senescence (3) type III rather typical but intermediate. Permanent dilatation and congestion of venules and capillaries seem to be related to the permanent opening of pulpar arteriovenous anastomoses and belong to "senile microangiopathy".