Abstract

NIETO, Jaime Andrés; MALDONADO, Sebastián; MANTILLA, Barbarita María  and  ARIAS, Jorge Andrés. Yellow nails Beyond visible. Acta Med Colomb [online]. 2016, vol.41, n.4, pp.269-272. ISSN 0120-2448.

Yellow nail syndrome (YNS) is an entity characterized by abnormally yellowish, greenish or brown pigmentation of the nails accompanied by lymphedema of lower limbs and pleural effusion and / or other symptomatology related to the respiratory tract. The etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms to date are not well known, but nevertheless an anatomical or functional alteration in the lymphatic vessels acquired congenitally is accepted. The clinical presentation is more frequent in individuals between the ages of 40 and 80 years. The lack of scientific evidence about this pathology makes difficult its diagnostic and therapeutic directions. The signs and symptoms that comprise this disease are concrete, although they have a very varied spectrum of presentation, whereby the diagnosis is essentially clinical and the treatment symptomatic. So far some interventions have proved useful in solving some signs and symptoms, but none with scientific or epidemiological support to justify their reproduction. There are a large number of cases reported worldwide, but very few cases are documented in Latin America. The case of a 90-year-old female patient who consults the emergency department on many occasions due to shortness of breath, in whom yellow pigmentation and nail hyperkeratosis are documented as an incidental finding, is reported. (Acta Med Colomb 2016; 40: 269-272).

Keywords : yellow nails; lymphedema; pleural effusion; Latin America.

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