Are Muehrcke's lines serious?
Muehrcke's lines are a strong indicator of hypoalbuminemia, which can result from a variety of different causes. The lines are actually in the vascular bed underneath the nail plate.
Do I have Muehrcke's lines?
Or white lines may be due to injury to your nailbed. Muehrcke lines are paired lines that fade when you press on them. Mees' lines are single lines that won't fade with pressure. Also, Muehrcke lines stay on the same place on the nail, but Mees' lines move up over time as your nail grows.
What does Terry nails look like?
Terry's nails is when most of your fingernail or toenail looks white, like frosted glass, except for a thin brown or pink strip at the tip. People with Terry's nails don't have a half-moon shape (lunula) near their cuticles. Instead, nearly the whole nail looks washed out.
Are Mees lines serious?
Mees' lines (also known as Aldrich or Reynolds' lines) are transverse white bands on the nail plate laid down during periods of stress. Common associations are poisioning (arsenic, thallium, fluorosis), severe infection, renal disease, cardiac failure, and malignant disease.
What are Beau lines?
Beau's lines are indentations that run across the nails. The indentations can appear when growth at the area under the cuticle is interrupted by injury or severe illness.
What does Beau's lines look like?
What do Beau's lines look like? Beau's lines are horizontal indentations, or ridges, that develop across the nails. They usually run straight across the nail. A person may develop one or more Beau's lines on any nail, or across multiple nails.
What do liver disease nails look like?
White Nails If the nails are mostly white with darker rims, this can indicate liver problems, such as hepatitis. In this image, you can see the fingers are also jaundiced, another sign of liver trouble.
What do your nails look like when you have heart failure?
Nail clubbing is when a nail curves under at the tip of the finger. It could indicate heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lung disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, or HIV/AIDS. Puffy redness near the cuticle can indicate inflammation, a bacteria or yeast infection, Lupus, or other connective tissue disease.
How serious is Terrys nails?
Terry's nails can sometimes be attributed to aging. In other cases, Terry's nails can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure or diabetes.
Can stress cause Mees lines?
Just as your hair might fall out after an illness or a prolonged period of stress, your nails can also exhibit symptoms. Most frequently, stress will cause side-to-side lines to appear on your nails.
What does it mean if you have a line on your nail?
It occurs for a variety of reasons and may be harmless or a sign of a more serious health condition. This condition is called a splinter hemorrhage because it may look like a wood splinter under your nail. The condition is caused by damaged small blood vessels underneath your nail.
What are the white things on your nails?
Fungi. A common nail fungus called white superficial onychomycosis can appear on the toenails. The first sign of the infection may be a few small white dots on the nails. The infection can grow and spread to the nail bed.
Why do I have white horizontal lines on my nails?
White spots or streaks are normal and nothing to worry about. Parallel white lines that extend all the way across the nails, known as Muehrcke's lines, are a sign of low levels of protein in the blood. In contrast to Beau's lines, they're not grooved. They can occur as a result of liver disease or malnutrition.
What causes Muehrcke's lines?
Nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, liver diseases, and malnutrition are the most common, with nephrotic syndrome being the most common cause reported by Muehrcke. Other cases include periods of high metabolic stress (e.g., systemic inflections, AIDS). Trauma may also cause Muehrcke's nails.
Can half and half nails be normal?
Half and half nails is a condition commonly found in patients with chronic kidney disease, but it can also be found in the context of other diseases as well as in healthy individuals.
What are the white things on your nails?
Fungi. A common nail fungus called white superficial onychomycosis can appear on the toenails. The first sign of the infection may be a few small white dots on the nails. The infection can grow and spread to the nail bed.
What Are Muehrcke’s Lines?
Muehrcke’s lines of the fingernails are actually a variant of leukonychia striata. The lines are visible to the eyes being parallel to the lunula and horizontal to the nail plate and the lines go right across the nail.
How to tell if Muehrcke's line is severe?
But, thumbnails also bear the symptoms when the case is severe. One can easily identify Muehrcke’s lines by checking the following checklist. White horizontal lines will travel across the nail plates. The lines are constant and nail growth will have no effect on them. Second, third and fourth fingers are the first nails to get attacked by ...
Why do Muejrcke's lines exist?
Rober Muehrcke first diagnosed this disorder in some patients who had a sickness where the blood levels of the protein albumin weren’t up to the mark. There lies the main reason behind these lines. The abnormality of albumin is responsible for these lines. Albumin is related to blood and made in the liver. So, Muehrcke’s lines are somehow connected with blood and liver. There are some other reasons which are as follows.
What is it called when you have a line in your fingernail?
These lines are also called leukonychia in medical term. This abnormal condition of the fingernails was first described by a physician named Robert Muehrcke in the British Medical Journal in 1956.
Why are Muehrcke's lines connected to blood?
There are some other reasons which are as follows. Liver diseases such as cirrhosis. Kidney diseases such as nephrotic syndrome. Chemotherapy which is taken for cancer. Lack of proper nutrients in the body.
Which finger was the first to get attacked by Muehrcke's lines?
Second, third and fourth fingers are the first nails to get attacked by Muehrcke’s lines.
Is Muehrcke's disease a wise thing to do?
Nails are an important part of our body but we often neglect Muehrcke’s lines disease taking it lightly. It’s not a wise thing to do because nail diseases may be the symptoms of something severe that can harm your health. Let’s take these little things seriously and live a happy life.
What is a muehrcke's nail?
Muehrcke's nails. Muehrcke's nails or Muehrcke's lines ( apparent leukonychia striata) are changes in the fingernail that may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. The term refers to a set of one or more pale transverse bands extending all the way across the nail, parallel to the lunula. In contrast to Beau's lines, they are not grooved (no ...
What is a Mees line?
Mees' lines – a similar appearance, except the lines are in the nail and move as the nail grows. Half and half nails. Terry's nails. List of cutaneous conditions.
How long do protein lines stay visible?
The lines remain visible as long as protein intake is inadequate or synthesis is impaired, and they should disappear upon return to normal function.
Who discovered the white lines in blood?
Muehrcke's lines were described by American physician Robert C. Muehrcke (1921–2003) in 1956. In a study published in BMJ, he examined patients with known chronic hypoalbuminemia and healthy volunteers, finding that the appearance of multiple transverse white lines was a highly specific marker for low serum albumin (no subject with the sign had SA over 2.2 g/dL), was associated with severity of the underlying condition, and disappeared upon successful treatment (corticosteroids in nephrotic syndrome) or direct infusion of HSA.
Where are the lines on a half and half nail?
The lines are actually in the vascular bed underneath the nail plate. As such, they do not move with nail growth, and disappear when pressure is applied to the nail (blanching the underlying nail bed): this distinguishes them from "true leukonychia striata" such as Mees' lines. As in Terry's and half-and-half nails, the pattern is thought to be formed by bands of localized edema exerting pressure on the surrounding capillaries.
Is Muehrcke's line grooved?
In contrast to Beau's lines, they are not grooved ( no 3-dimensional deformity), and in contrast to Mees' lines, the thumb is usually not involved. Muehrcke's lines are a strong indicator of hypoalbuminemia, which can result from a variety of different causes. The lines are actually in the vascular bed underneath the nail plate.
What are Muehrcke lines?
Muehrcke lines are multiple transverse white linear bands parallel to the lunula of the fingernail. They represent an apparent leukonychia as they result from an abnormality in the vasculature of the nail bed. This activity reviews the etiology, evaluation, and treatment of patients with this condition.
What conditions are associated with Muehrcke's nails?
[3] Etiology. Several conditions may trigger the hypoalbuminemia implicated in Muehrcke's nails. Nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, liver diseases, ...
When were Muehrcke's nails first described?
In 1956, Muehrcke described the association of this condition with hypoalbuminemia in his cohort of 65 patients, but since then, it has also been linked to other various etiologies.[3] Muehrcke's nails, also known as Muehrcke's lines, were first described by Dr. Robert Muehrcke's 1956 publication in the British Medical Journal.[1] .
How to treat Muehrcke's nails?
Treatment is case-specific. In cases of Muehrcke's nails secondary to hypoalbuminemia, treatment with serum albumin infusions can result in a resolution. Treatment should be given until levels are in the normal range. However, it is important to note that treating the underlying conditions that may be the etiology aids in correcting the normal albumin levels. Some reports have shown effective fading of these lines by adding cortisone and/or corticotropin therapy to albumin infusions. [1]
Why is it important to have a complete history of Muehrcke's nails?
History and Physical. As the possible causes of Muehrcke’s nails grow, a complete and detailed history is important to elicit an etiology. Questions about patients’ underlying medical conditions, exposures, medication, and occupation should be included.
What causes Muehrcke's nails?
Other cases include periods of high metabolic stress (e.g., systemic inflections, AIDS). Trauma may also cause Muehrcke's nails. Chemotherapy is another documented etiology.
Does chemotherapy cause muehrcke's nails?
In extreme elevations, physiologic changes to blood circulation may predispose to Muehrcke's nails. What is less understood, however, is how systemic chemotherapy induces Muehrcke's nails as reports in this patient population document higher (e.g.,>3.4 g/100 mL) and even normal albumin levels. [3][6][7] It is known that nail changes, including pigmentation changes and dystrophy, can occur with chemotherapy. [3][8] These may also more often be transverse bands of pigment. These may not be true cases of Muehrcke's nails as associated with hypoalbuminemia, as originally reported by Muehrcke.
What is Muehrcke's nail?
Description. Muehrcke’s nails (or Muehrcke lines) are a disorder of the nail bed which can be a reflection of systemic disease. A distinct pattern of paired, white, transverse lines that usually spare the thumbnail and are most commonly in seen in association with hypoalbuminaemia, metabolic stress or chemotherapy.
When was the first report of Muehrcke's lines in a heart transplant recipient in the context of hypoalbum?
1988 – First report of Muehrcke’s lines in a heart transplant recipient in the context of hypoalbuminaemia.
Do muehrcke lines move with nail growth?
These white bands involve the vascular nail bed not the nail matrix itself, hence Muehrcke lines do not move with nail growth, and applying pressure to the affected nail will appear to fade these lines as the underlying nail bed is blanched (apparent leukonychia).
What are Muehrcke lines?
Muehrcke lines are paired, white, transverse lines that signify an abnormality in the vascular bed of the nail. Muehrcke first described paired, narrow, white, transverse fingernail lines in a series of 65 patients with severe, chronic hypoalbuminemia. [ 1] He believed that the lines, as shown in the image below, were a specific sign of this single biochemical alteration. Others described patients receiving multiple cytostatic agents. [ 2] These nail alterations may also represent an example of chemotherapy-induced nail changes. Muehrcke lines represent a type of apparent rather than true leukonychia, as they involve abnormal nail bed vasculature, which alters nail plate translucency. The whiteness becomes unapparent with pressure and is not modified by nail growth. [ 3] Note the image below.
Why do Muehrcke lines have white bands?
The appearance of paired, white bands is most likely due to a chronic nutritional deficiency of albumin. Examples include nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, liver disease, and malnutrition.
What is the vitamin A that is associated with Muehrcke lines?
Vitamin A analogues such as trans -retinoic acid and acitretin may also be associated with Muehrcke lines. [ 30] . Of 124 patients with nail changes due to chemotherapeutic agents, four had Muehrcke lines, all four of whom were on a combination of cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/5-fluorouracil. [ 31] See Pathophysiology.
Where are Muehrcke lines on the finger?
Muehrcke lines typically appear on the second, third, and fourth fingers; however, in this case, the bands appeared on all of the fingers in addition to the toenails (the bands were more pronounced on the fingernails).
How many fingers are white transverse bands?
White transverse bands are seen on all 10 fingers.
What causes Muekrcke lines?
In addition to being linked to hypoalbuminemia, Muekrcke lines have also been seen in patients who have: Cancer that lead to chemotherapy. Kidney disease, including nephrotic syndrome. Liver disease, including cirrhosis. Malnutrition from unbalanced diets that lead to an extreme lack of nutrients in the body.
What is Muehrcke's nail?
Muehrcke’s nails is a type of leukonychia striata characterized by horizontal white lines on a nail that run parallel to the lunula (the crescent shaped whitish area that appears at the bed or proximal area of a fingernail or toenail).
Do muehrckes nails grow out?
Because they are part of the vascular nail bed that exists underneath the nail plate, they do not move or “grow out” when the nail grows. Additionally, the transverse lines tend to disappear when pressure is applied to the nail, at least temporarily. Muehrcke’s nails are different from Beau’s lines, which are grooved ridges, and Mees' lines, ...
Can albumin infusions help muehrcke lines?
When Muehrcke lines are associated with a serum albumin deficiency, albumin infusions can help the lines disappear. Otherwise, treatment of the specific health problem that caused the lines will eventually eradicate the condition.
