Objective: Raynaud phenomenon (RP) is an exaggerated vascular response to cold or emotional stress. Cold is also a trigger for allergic diseases like asthma, vasomotor rhinitis and urticaria (cold urticaria, idiopathic urticaria, dermographism). The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of allergic diseases in patients with primary and secondary Raynaud`s phenomenon.

Materials and Methods: A total of 53 consecutive patients with RP who were followed at Hacettepe University Hospital`s Division of Rheumatology and volunteered for allergic evaluation were enrolled between April 2013-September 2013. An additional 20 patients with rheumatologic diseases and without Raynaud phenomenon were included as the control group. A questionnaire evaluating the presence of allergic diseases was administered to all patients. Either skin prick test or specific IgE (phadiatop) was requested depending on oral corticosteroid usage. Pulmonary function and ice cube tests were performed for all patients.

Results: Among the patients included in the study, 90.4%were women and 72.6% had RF. The most common rheumatologic diseases were scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with vasomotor rhinitis (12.3%), dermographism (8.2%) and cold urticaria (4.1%) all had RF. Thirty seven percent of all patients had at least one allergic disease. Having allergic diseases was not associated with RF.

Conclusion: In conclusion, it has been shown that cold-related diseases such as asthma, vasomotor rhinitis, cold urticaria and dermographism were more frequent in patients with RF. In addition, the frequency of allergic diseases in patients with rheumatoid arthritis was not less than that of the normal population.