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Ghannem A, Zaouak A, Aydi Z, Somai M, Hammami H, Boussema F, Fenniche S. Nail involvement in connective tissue diseases: an epidemiological, clinical, and dermoscopic study. Int J Dermatol 2024. [PMID: 38426318 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.17113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The assessment of nail changes in connective tissue diseases (CTD) has been rarely explored in previous studies. The use of dermoscopy to study vascular changes in nailfolds is an interesting diagnostic technique. The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and dermoscopic features of nail lesions in CTD. METHODS A prospective study was performed at the Dermatology Department of Habib Thameur Hospital (Tunis, Tunisia) in collaboration with the Internal Medicine Department over a period of 15 months, from July 2020 to September 2021, including patients diagnosed with systemic sclerosis (SS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and dermatomyositis (DM). RESULTS Our study included 48 patients. Nail involvement was found in 44 cases. Dermoscopic nailfold abnormalities were identified in 37 cases. The most common clinical features were ragged cuticle, nailfold erythema, and onycholysis. Additionally, splinter hemorrhage, longitudinal ridging, lunula abnormalities, melanonychia, trachyonychia, leukonychia, increase in transverse curvature, parrot beak nail, half and half nails, and onychorrhexis were described. Nailfold dermoscopy showed a normal pattern in 10 cases, a nonspecific pattern in nine cases (SLE), and a scleroderma pattern in 29 cases (SS and DM). The scleroderma pattern was further categorized into an early pattern (6), an active pattern (14), and a late pattern (9). Normal pattern was observed solely in patients in remission. The late scleroderma pattern was associated with disease duration and systemic involvement. In SLE, disease activity correlated with onycholysis, nailfold erythema, and pathologic pattern in dermoscopy. However, patients with DM displayed a positive correlation between pulmonary involvement and scleroderma pattern. CONCLUSION Nail involvement in CTD includes a diverse range of abnormalities. Despite being nonspecific, it can provide crucial clues for establishing a diagnosis. Nailfold dermoscopy serves as a mirror for microangiopathy, enabling the detection of changes at an initial stage, and thus, it becomes a diagnostic and prognostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azza Ghannem
- Department of Dermatology, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Anissa Zaouak
- Department of Dermatology, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Zohra Aydi
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mehdi Somai
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Houda Hammami
- Department of Dermatology, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Fatma Boussema
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Samy Fenniche
- Department of Dermatology, Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
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Absence of association between nailfold capillary findings and mild cognitive dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Rheumatol 2022; 41:2737-2743. [PMID: 35618964 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-022-06215-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The role of vascular damage in cognitive dysfunction (CD) in SLE is not entirely understood. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a noninvasive method that may aid the description of further vascular contributions to CD in SLE. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine and compare finger nailfold capillary morphology in subjects with SLE with and without CD. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study in patients with SLE. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were collected. We evaluated nailfold capillary findings including avascular zones, hemorrhage, dilated and tortuous capillaries, disarrangement, crossing, subpapillary venular plexus, branched loops, and shortened loops by NFC. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale was used to screen cognitive function. CD was defined as a score < 26/30. RESULTS Sixty-five females (97.0%) and 2 males (3%) with SLE were analyzed. Means of age and disease duration were 44.3 ± 12.0 years and 15.5 ± 7.6 years, respectively. Thirty-five (54.7%) patients had CD. The rate of patients with ≥ 1 NFC abnormality was 50% in both patients with and without CD (P = 0.14). Eight (22.8%) patients with CD compared to 1 without (3.5%) displayed dilated capillaries (P = 0.036). Other NFC abnormalities differed between patients with and without CD, but the possible relationships between dilated capillaries and CD disappeared after adjusting by age, diabetes, and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS NFC findings were not associated with mild CD in patients with SLE. Our exploratory data do not support systemic microvasculopathy measured by NFC related to CD in patients with SLE.
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Abstract
Describing and listing all nail symptoms and signs in systemic disorders has already been widely detailed in dedicated textbooks. To be tutorial, this article described most common nails signs and the systemic disorders one may encounter in routine dermatologic consultation. Capsule summaries are presented for each section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Dehavay
- Saint-Pierre, Brugmann and Queen Fabiola Children University Hospitals, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Bertrand Richert
- Saint-Pierre, Brugmann and Queen Fabiola Children University Hospitals, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
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Zhao T, Lin FA, Chen HP. Pattern of Nailfold Capillaroscopy in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arch Rheumatol 2021; 35:568-574. [PMID: 33758813 PMCID: PMC7945704 DOI: 10.46497/archrheumatol.2020.7763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
This study aims to assess the nailfold capillary changes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly among those with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), and the correlation between nailfold capillary changes and autoantibodies and disease activity. Patients and methods
A total of 85 patients (9 males, 76 females; median age 31 years; range, 15 to 58 years) with newly diagnosed SLE were selected between July 2016 and July 2018 from our hospital. Disease activity was scored by the SLE Disease Activity Index. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) was performed in all patients. Results
Normal pattern, non-specific pattern, and scleroderma pattern were found in 13 (15.3%), 64 (75.3%), and eight (9.4%) patients, respectively. There was no significant difference between anti-double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid, anti-Smith antibodies, and low complements (all p>0.05), while significant differences of NFC pattern were found between low disease activity and high disease activity (p=0.002). RP was present in 31.7% of SLE patients, and the NFC findings in SLE patients with and without RP were significantly different in dilatation (81.5% vs. 14.0%). Conclusion The results of our study showed that capillary changes were very common in patients with SLE, which seem to associate with disease activity and RP condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Fu-An Lin
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Pu Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
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Ferrusquia-Toriz D, Hernández-Díaz C, Amezcua-Guerra LM, Ventura-Ríos L, Higuera-Ortiz V, Lozada-Navarro AC, Silveira LH. Ultrasound characterization of the nail bed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2021; 30:608-614. [PMID: 33470159 DOI: 10.1177/0961203320988609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the ultrasound findings of the nail plate and nail bed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its association with nail dystrophy. METHODS Thirty-two SLE patients, 36 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 20 healthy individuals were studied. High-frequency linear ultrasound was performed in nails of the second to fifth fingers in all participants. Disease activity (SLEDAI-2K index), accrued organ damage (SLICC/ACR index), autoantibody profile, and Raynaud's phenomenon were also assessed in SLE patients. RESULTS Nail bed thickness in SLE patients was higher than in healthy individuals (1.25 ± 0.31 mm vs 1.17 ± 0.29 mm; P = 0.01) but lower than in OA (1.39 ± 0.37 mm; P < 0.001), while nail plate thickness was similar among groups. Nail dystrophy was found more frequently in SLE and OA than in healthy individuals. SLE patients with nail dystrophy were older than their counterparts with no dystrophy (39.4 ± 10.4 years vs 27.8 ± 5.6 years; P = 0.004), although nail dystrophy showed no association with SLICC/ACR, SLEDAI-2K, nail bed vascularity, or autoantibodies. CONCLUSIONS Nail bed in SLE patients is thicker than in healthy individuals but thinner than in OA patients. Nail dystrophy in SLE is associated with advanced age, but not with accrued organ damage, disease activity, Raynaud's phenomenon, or DIP synovitis assessed by ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Hernández-Díaz
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis M Amezcua-Guerra
- Department of Immunology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lucio Ventura-Ríos
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Violeta Higuera-Ortiz
- Department of Rheumatology, The American British Cowdray Hospital, Mexico City, Mexico.,Department of Rheumatology, General Hospital No. 8, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ana C Lozada-Navarro
- Internal Medicine, Hospital Faro del Mayab/Christus Muguerza, Mérida Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Luis H Silveira
- Department of Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
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Wagner C, Chasset F, Fabacher T, Lipsker D. Lupus érythémateux et atteinte unguéale : revue de la littérature. Ann Dermatol Venereol 2020; 147:18-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annder.2019.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Navarro-Triviño FJ, Ruiz-Villaverde R. Chronic Discoid Lupus: An uncommon cause of nail atrophy. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 2018; 18:e411-e412. [PMID: 30607292 DOI: 10.18295/squmj.2018.18.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Interesting Medical Image
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Cutolo M, Melsens K, Wijnant S, Ingegnoli F, Thevissen K, De Keyser F, Decuman S, Müller-Ladner U, Piette Y, Riccieri V, Ughi N, Vandecasteele E, Vanhaecke A, Smith V. Nailfold capillaroscopy in systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and critical appraisal. Autoimmun Rev 2018; 17:344-352. [PMID: 29427827 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2017.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Nailfold capillaroscopy is an easy, non-invasive technique to assess microvascular involvement in rheumatic diseases. Multiple studies describe capillaroscopic changes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including a wide range of non-specific findings. On behalf of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) study group on microcirculation in rheumatic diseases, a systematic review was done to obtain all original research studies (in English) in which SLE patients had capillaroscopy. Forty such studies are identified. This article firstly provides a résumé of the results of these studies according to capillaroscopic parameters (density, dimensions, morphology, haemorrhages), semi-quantitative assessment and qualitative assessment of capillaroscopy in SLE patients. Secondly, the correlations between capillaroscopic parameters in SLE patients and clinical and laboratory parameters (including auto-immune parameters) are outlined. The following capillaroscopic parameters are found to be significantly more prevalent in SLE patients compared to healthy controls: tortuous capillaries, abnormal morphology and haemorrhages. Hairpin-shaped capillaries are significantly less prevalent than in healthy persons. The semi-quantitatively determined nailfold capillaroscopic score (NFC score) in SLE patients is also higher than in healthy controls. Several correlations between clinical and laboratory parameters and capillaroscopic parameters are identified in the review. Disease activity is correlated with NFC score in seven studies, with abnormal morphology (i.e. "meandering") in one study and with haemorrhages in one study. Frequent attacks of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and gangrene are significantly correlated with dilated capillaries. In two studies a possible correlation between anti-SSA antibodies and lower density of capillaries is withheld. About other immune parameters conflicting results are found. In one study a significant negative correlation is found between 24-hour proteinuria and abnormal morphology (i.e. "meandering"). For the first time, an overview of the nailfold capillaroscopic changes that have been described in SLE and their correlations with clinical and laboratory findings is given. Further large-scale research on the identification of capillaroscopic changes in SLE and their correlations with standardised clinical and laboratory parameters, is ongoing at the EULAR study group on microcirculation in rheumatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cutolo
- Research Laboratory and Academic Unit of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 5, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Karin Melsens
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Sara Wijnant
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Francesca Ingegnoli
- Division of Rheumatology, ASST Gaetano Pini, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Piazza Cardinal Andrea Ferrari 1, Milan, Italy.
| | - Kristof Thevissen
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Filip De Keyser
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Saskia Decuman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Ulf Müller-Ladner
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Giessen/Kerckhoff-Klinik, Benekestraße 2-8, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany.
| | - Yves Piette
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Valeria Riccieri
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Specialities, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, Italy.
| | - Nicola Ughi
- Division of Rheumatology, ASST Gaetano Pini, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Piazza Cardinal Andrea Ferrari 1, Milan, Italy
| | - Els Vandecasteele
- Department of Cardiology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Amber Vanhaecke
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium.
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Shenavandeh S, Habibi S. Nailfold capillaroscopic changes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: correlations with disease activity, skin manifestation and nephritis. Lupus 2017; 26:959-966. [DOI: 10.1177/0961203316686702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Introduction The clinical expression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the consequence of endothelial cell damage leading to serious multiple organ dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess the association between nailfold capillaroscopic changes and disease activity, skin and renal involvement in patients with SLE. Methods Demographic variables, clinical manifestations and laboratory data of 108 patients with SLE were investigated. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) was performed in all patients. Result Morphological changes in NFC were observed in 102 out of 108 (94.4%) SLE patients. Minor changes were found in 33 (30.6%) and major changes in 69 (63.9%) cases. The disease activity was significantly higher in the patients with major changes ( p < 0.002). A higher incidence of microhaemorrhages was seen in patients with active SLE disease ( p < 0.04). In SLE patients with active skin involvement, the disturbed distribution ( p < 0.004) was more frequent and subtle changes ( p < 0.009) were less frequently observed as compared with patients without active skin involvement. In the group of SLE patients with renal involvement, no correlation was found between the capillary abnormalities and the presence of renal involvement ( p > 0.05), except for the elongated capillary loops, which were seen more often in patients with renal involvement than in patients without it ( p < 0.03). Conclusion The results of the study showed that capillary changes (abnormal capillaroscopy) were very common in patients with SLE, although there were no specific patterns like the ones in scleroderma patients, and some changes may be associated with disease activity, especially in patients with active skin involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Shenavandeh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - S Habibi
- School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Science, Fasa, Iran
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