Transient renal dysfunction with Raynaud's phenomenon: is there a connection?

We describe a patient with an episode of severe Raynaud's phenomenon and early or mild scleroderma who presented with a transient elevation of her serum creatinine that resolved spontaneously after 2 days. Vascular response to cold temperatures has been described in vascular beds other than the extremities, and a similar phenomenon in the kidney might have been responsible for the transient renal dysfunction. Possible mechanisms to explain this phenomenon are discussed. Vasospasm merits consideration as an uncommon but largely reversible cause of elevated creatinine in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon.