National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Reynolds syndrome



Other Names:
Primary biliary cirrhosis, scleroderma, Raynaud disease, and telangiectasia
Categories:

Reynolds syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by the co-occurrence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (LCSS).[1][2] The signs and symptoms of Reynolds syndrome therefore include those of both PBC and LCSS. People with PBC may have symptoms such as tiredness (fatigue) and itchy skin (pruritus), as well as an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly). Signs and symptoms of LCSS may include calcium deposits in the skin, tissues, and organs (calcinosis); sores on the fingers and toes (digital ulcers); facial telangiectasias; Raynaud's phenomenon; esophageal dysfunction (such as acid reflux); and sclerodactyly (tightening of the skin on the fingers and toes).[2] Reynolds syndrome typically occurs sporadically, affecting only one person in a family.[2] Treatment aims to improve the signs and symptoms associated with each disease individually and may involve ursodeoxycholic acid for PBC to slow the progression of liver disease and various medications for the wide variety of possible symptoms of LCSS.[2]
Last updated: 4/2/2019

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
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HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of the gastric mucosa
Abnormality of the mucous membrane layer of stomach
0004295
Fatigue
Tired
Tiredness
[ more ]
0012378
Gastroesophageal reflux
Acid reflux
Acid reflux disease
Heartburn
[ more ]
0002020
Hepatomegaly
Enlarged liver
0002240
Myalgia
Muscle ache
Muscle pain
[ more ]
0003326
Pruritus
Itching
Itchy skin
Skin itching
[ more ]
0000989
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Arthritis
Joint inflammation
0001369
Dysphagia
Poor swallowing
Swallowing difficulties
Swallowing difficulty
[ more ]
0002015
Fever 0001945
Irregular hyperpigmentation 0007400
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
Dry eyes
0001097
Mucosal telangiectasiae 0100579
Sclerodactyly 0011838
Skin rash 0000988
Skin ulcer
Open skin sore
0200042
Telangiectasia of the skin 0100585
Xerostomia
Dry mouth
Dry mouth syndrome
Reduced salivation
[ more ]
0000217
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Ascites
Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
0001541
Cirrhosis
Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue in the liver
0001394
Encephalitis
Brain inflammation
0002383
Jaundice
Yellow skin
Yellowing of the skin
[ more ]
0000952
Lichenification 0100725
Respiratory insufficiency
Respiratory impairment
0002093
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Biliary cirrhosis 0002613
Calcinosis
Calcium buildup in soft tissues of body
0003761
Calcinosis cutis 0025520
Elevated alkaline phosphatase
Greatly elevated alkaline phosphatase
High serum alkaline phosphatase
Increased alkaline phosphatase
Increased serum alkaline phosphatase
[ more ]
0003155
Elevated hepatic transaminase
High liver enzymes
0002910
Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Gastrointestinal bleeding
0002239
Hyperbilirubinemia
High blood bilirubin levels
0002904
Lip telangiectasia 0000214
Palmar telangiectasia 0100869
Raynaud phenomenon 0030880
Scleroderma 0100324
Splenomegaly
Increased spleen size
0001744
Steatorrhea
Fat in feces
0002570
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
The association with primary sclerosing cholangitis and SSc is extremely rare. Cholestasis in SSc patients may also reflect liver congestion due to right-sided heart failure in cases with severe pulmonary hypertension. Medications (antibiotics, anabolic steroids, birth control pills, chlorpromazine, cimetidine, estradiol) may cause cholestasis similar to that of PBC.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • The Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium is an international organization of scleroderma clinical researchers. The consortium Web site contains a listing of active scleroderma trials, past copies of the Scleroderma Care and Research journal, and a tool for finding your nearest member institution. 

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Reynolds syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles


Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Kiyani A, Ursu S. Coexistent Primary Biliary Cholangitis with CREST Syndrome (Reynolds Syndrome). Am J Med. November, 2017; 130(11):e501-e502. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28602872.
  2. Reynolds syndrome. Orphanet. November, 2013; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Lng=EN&Expert=779.