What is clubbing? What are the specific manifestations?
Clubbing is a clubbing-shaped enlargement of the terminal finger (toe) in the shape of a drumstick, also known as a mallet finger. Most of the distended veins and capillaries are dilated and edema of small veins and capillaries in the early stage, and there is tissue hyperplasia in the late stage.
Clubbing can be either an acquired cause or a hereditary disorder.
The terminal knuckles are markedly widened and thickened, and the nail arches from root to end, so that the basal angle between the skin on the back of the finger and the nail is equal to or greater than 180°.
Image source: Do it yourself
What diseases is clubbing commonly seen in?
There are two types of clubbing due to disease causes, each corresponding to a different etiology.
1. Clubbing appears on both the left and right hands
It is most commonly associated with cardiovascular or lung diseases, such as lung cancer, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, lung abscess, tuberculosis, cyanotic congenital heart disease, etc.
Less commonly, clubbing can also be seen in patients with extrathoracic disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, cirrhosis, and gastrointestinal tumors.
For middle-aged and elderly patients who smoke for a long time, even if the respiratory symptoms are not obvious, when clubbing is found, a high degree of vigilance should be aroused, and special attention should be paid to lung examination to avoid misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.
Image source: "Illustrated Guide to the Diagnosis of Dermatological and Venereal Diseases", edited by Zhang Jianming and Li Haiying
Note: Clubbing is not commonly seen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic tuberculosis.
2. Clubbing occurs only on one side or on a single finger
Often associated with adjacent vascular lesions such as peripheral vascular shunts, arteriovenous fistulas, or aneurysms, while Pancoast tumors, lymphadenitis, or erythrolimalgia can also cause unilateral clubbing.
As for hereditary clubbing, such as isolated congenital clubbing (which also occurs in a single finger), it is mostly thought to be related to the primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in hereditary diseases, which is autosomal recessive.
If you suspect clubbing, which department should you go to?
Simple clubbing can go to a dermatologist or orthopedic department.
If you have a primary disease, you can see a doctor according to the primary disease, or if you have symptoms, you can choose the corresponding department according to the accompanying symptoms, such as cardiovascular medicine, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology or oncology.
Regarding the relationship between hands and health, we have also put together the following questions you may be concerned about, click here to view.
Is easy hand tremor a brain problem?
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Are nail wrinkles an early symptom of cancer?
If there are white spots and white spots on the nails, is there something missing in the body?
Author of the entry
Dr. Lilac Health Encyclopedia Medical Team
Audit Specialists
Wu Xiaosheng is the deputy chief physician of the Department of Respiratory Medicine
Planning and production
Typesetting: Nix, Hu Heling | Executive Producer: Monkey Pigeon
Image source: Make it yourself, picture worm creativity