Clubbing of the fingers or toes

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Clubbing Clubbed fingers

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Clubbing of the fingers or toes

Clubbing is a thickening of the flesh undertoe and fingernails.The nailcurves downward,instead of lying flat.

Clubbing is associated with a wide number of diseases. It is most oftennoted in heart and lung diseases that cause decreased blood oxygen and blueskin (cyanosis).

Clubbing may also be due to lung lung cancer, anddiseases of the liver and the gastrointestinal tract.

Clubbing may also occur in families. In thiscase itmaynotbe due toan underlying disease.

• Congenital heart disease (cyanotic type)
  • Tetralogy of Fallot
  • Tricuspid atresia
  • Transposition of the great vessels
  • Total anomalous venous return
  • Truncus arteriosus
• Cystic fibrosis
• Bronchiectasis
• Lung abscess
• Crohn's disease
• Celiac disease
• Cirrhosis
• Lung cancer
• Pulmonary fibrosis

Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo; WB Saunders; 2005:78-79.

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000:506.

Spicknall KE. Clubbing: an update on diagnosis, differential diagnosis, pathophysiology, and clinical relevance. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005; 52(6): 1020-8

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