Clubbing of the fingers or toes

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Clubbing Clubbed fingers

Overview Treatment

Clubbing of the fingers or toes

There is no specific treatment for the clubbing itself. Home care depends on the specific diagnosis.

If you notice clubbing, call your health care provider.

A person with clubbing generally has other symptoms and signs that define a specific condition. Diagnosis of that condition is based on family history, medical history, anda physical exam that looks at the lungs and chest.

Medical history questions may include:

• When did you first notice this?
• Does it affect the fingers, toes, or both?
• Has it been becoming more noticeable?
• What other symptoms are also present?
• Is there any breathing difficulty?
• Is the skin ever bluish colored?

The following tests may be done:

• Chest x-ray
• Chest CT scan
• EKG
• Echocardiogram
• Arterial blood gas
• Pulmonary function tests

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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