Nails and COPD

Hi waterman is there any news on V2 long time since the last article was written. Do hope it is nothing serious keeping them away from all the positive advise.

Regards

Tru

Just to further the conversation regarding nail abnormalities...if anyone is wondering...or wishes to rule out hypochondria...

Quote from American Family Physician website...

Nail Abnormalities: Clues to Systemic Disease

Robert S. Fawcett, M.D., M.S., Thomas M. Hart Family Practice Residency Program, York Hospital, York, Pennsylvania

Sean Linford, M.D., and Daniel L. Stulberg, M.D., Utah Valley Family Practice Residency Program, Provo, Utah

Am Fam Physician. 2004 Mar 15;69(6):1417-1424.

The visual appearance of the fingernails and toenails may suggest an underlying systemic disease. Clubbing of the nails often suggests pulmonary disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Koilonychia, or “spoon-shaped” nails, may stimulate a work-up for hemochromatosis or anemia. In the absence of trauma or psoriasis, onycholysis should prompt a search for symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The finding of Beau’s lines may indicate previous severe illness, trauma, or exposure to cold temperatures in patients with Raynaud’s disease. In patients with Muehrcke’s lines, albumin levels should be checked, and a work-up done if the level is low. Splinter hemorrhage in patients with heart murmur and unexplained fever can herald endocarditis. Patients with telangiectasia, koilonychia, or pitting of the nails may have connective tissue disorders.

Careful examination of the fingernails and toenails can provide clues to underlying systemic diseases (Table 1). Clubbing, which is one example of a nail manifestation of systemic disease, was first described by Hippocrates in the fifth century B.C.1 Since that time, many more nail abnormalities have been found to be clues to underlying systemic disorders.

The nail plate is the hard keratin cover of the dorsal portion of the distal phalanx. The nail plate is generated by the nail matrix at the proximal portion of the nail bed (Figure 1). As the nail grows, the distal part of the matrix produces the deeper layers of the nail plate, while the proximal portion makes the superficial layers. This production is important, because a disruption of function in the proximal matrix (as may occur in patients with psoriasis) results in more superficial nail problems (e.g., pitting). A disruption of the distal matrix may cause problems with the deeper layers, resulting in ridging or splitting. A transient problem causing growth disturbance may lead to the formation of transverse lines across the nail plate, as in Mees’, Muehrcke’s, and Beau’s lines (Figure 2). Changes in the configuration of the capillaries in the proximal nail bed are responsible for some of the alterations that occur in patients with connective tissue disorders, while abnormalities in the periosteal vessels contribute to clubbing.2

TABLE 1

Nail Findings and Associated Systemic Conditions

Nail findingAssociated systemic conditions

Shape or growth change

Clubbing

Inflammatory bowel disease, pulmonary malignancy, asbestosis, chronic bronchitis, COPD, cirrhosis, congenital heart disease, endocarditis, atrioventricular malformations, fistulas

Koilonychia

Iron deficiency anemia, hemochromatosis, Raynaud’s disease, SLE, trauma, nail-patella syndrome

Onycholysis

Psoriasis, infection, hyperthyroidism, sarcoidosis, trauma, amyloidosis, connective tissue disorders

Pitting

Psoriasis, Reiter’s syndrome, incontinentia pigmenti, alopecia areata

Beau’s lines

Any severe systemic illness that disrupts nail growth, Raynaud’s disease, pemphigus, trauma

Yellow nail

Lymphedema, pleural effusion, immunodeficiency, bronchiectasis, sinusitis, rheumatoid arthritis, nephrotic syndrome, thyroiditis, tuberculosis, Raynaud’s disease

Color change

Terry’s (white) nails

Hepatic failure, cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, CHF, hyperthyroidism, malnutrition

Azure lunula

Hepatolenticular degeneration (Wilson’s disease), silver poisoning, quinacrine therapy

Half-and-half nails

Specific for renal failure

Muehrcke’s lines

Specific for hypoalbuminemia

Mees’ lines

Arsenic poisoning, Hodgkin’s disease, CHF, leprosy, malaria, chemotherapy, carbon monoxide poisoning, other systemic insults

Dark longitudinal streaks

Melanoma, benign nevus, chemical staining, normal variant in darkly pigmented people

Longitudinal striations

Alopecia areata, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis

Splinter hemorrhage

Subacute bacterial endocarditis, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, antiphospholipid syndrome, peptic ulcer disease, malignancies, oral contraceptive use, pregnancy, psoriasis, trauma

Telangiectasia

Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, dermatomyositis, scleroderma

COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; SLE = systemic lupus erythematosus; CHF = congestive heart failure.

End quote...

Take care...cheers

Hi Tru,

Since the new site format has got up and running I'm afraid that I dont recognise any of the names of people who post now. Not sure if the ''V2'' you speak of is the same person as the V that I knew but I sent V, who used to post, a personal message some time ago but received no reply so I dont know how she is. Some of the people who used to post may have changed there names but I really dont know about that. It is a shame that so few people do post now as I miss reading about other COPD sufferer's experiences and treatments that help me to keep informed. I am not an expert in the treatment of COPD but I know what it is like to suffer from the disease but also recognise that not every bodies experiences are the same as mine. Thankfully I have the support of a Chest Consultant, a good Doctor, great Respiratory Nurses and Pulmonary Maintenance Staff who I can liaise with at any time. I know what it is like to suffer headaches, bad leg cramps, sweats, sore throats, stomach problems and other side effects from medications that cause me to wonder are the treatments worse than the disease. I also know what it is like when I try to stop the treatments and cant breathe the frustration of, what seems like a vicious cycle, to go back onto medications again. I know the frustration I feel when I cannot do the things that I used to do and the depression that comes from time to time. Please dont think that I am complaining as I am very thankful to God that I am as well as I am. I meet many people each week at Pulmonary Maintenance who are, very much, worse than I am and sadly some that I have known have passed away and are missed. One of V,s tips regarding gargling after inhalers was a great help to me as I ended up with a severe septic throat before I read her post. Thank you V if you are reading. Others experiences and advice re DHSS claims, benefits and allowances, travel insurance and many other posts have also been a great help in making life that little bit easier for me. Thank you every body who has posted in the past and are posting now.

Regards,

Robert

Don't let shallow, unthougthful comments get to you, most people understand exactly which type of spirit you made your comment Limpet with, those who do not, well that has to do with their own mentality, not yours..

This should be from experiences not copy and paste with only small mention of lung disease as doubtless there is no understanding of the content.

There are a number of people I've noticed or spoken to here who are very kind, inspiring, interesting, some of them I came to hear, though suffering with COPD continue to smoke, that bit is something I cannot get, as I was so hooked but knew I had to stop, I surprised myself when I succeeded, but I KNEW I had to!

I do not get, if a person feels so bad and knows what caused it, how they can then continue with that thing that is destroying themselves, one might as well jump under a bus, because you know you are killing yourself and it's just the same, maybe you and we all didn't know properly before becoming ill, but once you are ill and hurting, surely you have to be nuts to keep on smoking.

T john...wasn't quite sure about your message...I have been researching symptoms I have been suffering with and came across this forum, I noted that some had been talking about nail abnormalities and thought I'd share a website explanation of the various nail manifestations that come about from underlying disease, etc. If I was in error doing so, I apologize, I am aware that COPD and lung disease is in the discussion here...there are many reasons and other diseases and conditions that have nail abnormalities attached to them, and I thought I would enter the conversation from that point of view...I have heart problems myself, and have recently learned of my iron overload, as also in the case of my husband who was recently diagnosed, and it was passed on from his father who died of congestive heart failure several years ago, but no one knew of the hemochromatosis until now. I was interested in the nail research in my case as I have several of these myself, and so came across this forum.

I was trying to help others who posted about being hypochondriacs, I didn't want others coming across the site here to think that it's all in your head if you have nail abnormalities, and to take it seriously and get checked out, and so posted the pasted info for those who actually would like to know there are many diseases, infections, conditions that we need to be aware of and the health of our nails are good early warning signs of serious problems.

Take care to everyone, best wishes...

T john...wasn't quite sure about your message...I have been researching symptoms I have been suffering with and came across this forum, I noted that some had been talking about nail abnormalities and thought I'd share a website explanation of the various nail manifestations that come about from underlying disease, etc. If I was in error doing so, I apologize, I am aware that COPD and lung disease is in the discussion here...there are many reasons and other diseases and conditions that have nail abnormalities attached to them, and I thought I would enter the conversation from that point of view...I have heart problems myself, and have recently learned of my iron overload, as also in the case of my husband who was recently diagnosed, and it was passed on from his father who died of congestive heart failure several years ago, but no one knew of the hemochromatosis until now. I was interested in the nail research in my case as I have several of these myself, and so came across this forum.

I was trying to help others who posted about being hypochondriacs, I didn't want others coming across the site here to think that it's all in your head if you have nail abnormalities, and to take it seriously and get checked out, and so posted the pasted info for those who actually would like to know there are many diseases, infections, conditions that we need to be aware of and the health of our nails are good early warning signs of serious problems.

Take care to everyone, best wishes...

Can it be about COPD that we understand so much other things and I had lost interest in what was said because it is not what I have so do not ask about research on other diseases it is enough having what Ive got thanks anyway.

You are not alone in feeling that a great deal of useless information has been dumped here by a poster that has not got COPD or anything more constructive to do with life.

Thanks for the support TJohn I had not thought it worthy of further response a case with no merits that could be discussed with a flimsy reason for posting.