Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
  • Year: 2017
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 1

Nails-a window to internal organs: a cross sectional study of nail changes in systemic diseases in a tertiary care hospital

  • Author:
  • Dhanalakshmi Kathirvel1,, R Baskaran2, Vaishanavi Dhandapani3, H Gladius Jennifer4
  • Total Page Count: 6
  • Page Number: 3 to 8

1Assistant Professor, Dept. of Dermatology, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Tamil Nadu

2Professor & HOD, Dept. of Dermatology, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Tamil Nadu

3Senior Resident, Dept. of Dermatology, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Tamil Nadu

4Assistant Professor, Dept. of Community Medicine, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Tamil Nadu

*Corresponding Author: Email: drdhanuk@gmail.com

Online published on 14 June, 2017.

Abstract

Many systemic disorders leave their mark on the nails and, therefore, provide physicians with valuable clues to diagnosis. In spite of this knowledge, there has been relatively little attention paid to the nails. This study will enlighten the importance of the nail changes associated with systemic diseases.

To evaluate the prevalence of the nail changes in systemic diseases.

To assess the specificity of the nail changes with the disease status.

To correlate nail changes with prognosis.

One hundred and fifty patients attending the outpatient and inpatients from the hospital were included. With informed consent, detailed history and clinical examination done including general physical examination and cutaneous examination. Nails were examined for their appearance, colour, contour, lunula, nail folds. Investigations were done according to the system involvement.

Nail changes were common with inpatients (58.7%) compared to out-patients (41.3%) and in 5.4% patients it was incidental. Most commonly involved systems include respiratory system (23.4%) followed by haematopoietic (18%), GIT and liver (14%), renal (12%) and cardiovascular system (10%). Clubbing was the commonest nail change encountered (34.67%) followed by longitudinal ridging (29.33%), pallor of nail plate (28%), platyonychia (18.67%) and brittle nails (17.33%).

Clubbing in cardio respiratory system, half and half nail (HHN) in renal system and terry's nail in liver and GIT are the specific nail changes that can lead us to the diagnosis. Prognosis is not directly related to the nail changes, commonly to the severity of the underlying disorders.

Keywords

Nail changes, Clubbing, Platyonychia