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What is finger clubbing?
Finger clubbing is a thickening of the
fingertips that gives them an abnormal rounded appearance. The exact cause of
finger clubbing is not known, but it is a common symptom of respiratory
disease, congenital heart disease, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Respiratory diseases associated with finger
clubbing include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer,
cystic fibrosis (thick mucus in the throat and digestive tract), and
bronchiectasis (destruction of the large airways). Congenital heart diseases
(heart diseases present since birth) that lead to finger clubbing are typically
cyanotic, meaning that they cause a person to appear blue due to reduced oxygen
in the blood. Clubbing has been seen in pregnancy and acromegal (gigantism due
to pituitary tumor).
Gastrointestinal disorders that can lead to
clubbing of the fingers include celiac disease, Crohn's disease, inflammatory
bowel disease, and liver disease, especially in severe cases, such as cirrhosis
of the liver. Other diseases associated with finger clubbing include Hodgkin’s
lymphoma and Graves’ disease (thyroid condition). Clubbing may be accompanied
by cyanosis (blue coloration of the skin) and shortness of breath.
Finger clubbing can be associated with
symptoms of a serious or life-threatening condition. For serious symptoms, such
as severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, bluish coloration of the
lips or fingernails, change in level of consciousness or alertness, and rapid
heart rate. Calling on emergency if serious symptoms .
What other symptoms might occur with finger
clubbing?
Finger clubbing may accompany other
symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition
and may also involve the respiratory, cardiovascular or gastrointestinal
systems.
Respiratory system symptoms that may occur
along with finger clubbing
Finger clubbing may accompany other
symptoms that affect the respiratory system including:
·
Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
·
Coughing up clear, yellow, light brown, or green mucus
·
Cough that gets more severe over time
·
Difficulty breathing
·
Loose, wet cough that produces thick white or yellow
phlegm
·
Rapid breathing (tachypnea) or shortness of breath
·
Wheezing (whistling sound made with breathing)
Cardiovascular system symptoms that may
occur along with finger clubbing
Finger clubbing may accompany symptoms
related to the cardiovascular system including:
·
Bluish lips, nails or skin (cyanosis)
·
Chest pain or pressure
·
Irregular heart rate (arrhythmia
·
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
·
Squatting posture in young children
Gastrointestinal symptoms that may occur
along with finger clubbing
Finger clubbing may accompany symptoms that
are related to the gastrointestinal system including:
·
Abdominal bloating
·
Abdominal pain or cramping
·
Abnormally foul-smelling stools
·
Blood-streaked stools
·
Chronic or persistent diarrhea
·
Indigestion
·
Loss of appetite
·
Nausea with or without vomiting
·
Unexplained weight loss
Serious symptoms that might indicate a
life-threatening condition
In some cases, finger clubbing can be a
symptom of a life-threatening condition. Seek immediate medical care (call 911)
if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms
including:
·
Bluish coloration of the lips or fingernails
·
Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as
passing out or unresponsiveness
·
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
·
Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness
of breath, difficulty breathing, labored breathing, wheezing, not breathing, or
choking
What causes finger clubbing?
The exact cause of finger clubbing is not
known, but it is a common symptom of respiratory disease, congenital heart
disease, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Respiratory disease causes of finger
clubbing
Finger clubbing may be caused by
respiratory diseases including:
·
Bronchiectasis (destruction and widening of the large
airways)
·
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
including emphysema and chronic bronchitis
·
Cystic fibrosis (thick mucus in the lungs and
respiratory tract)
·
Lung abscess
·
Lung cancer
·
Pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs)
Congenital cardiac disease causes of finger
clubbing
Finger clubbing can also be caused by
congenital cardiac diseases including:
·
Tetralogy of Fallot (combination of four structural
defects)
·
Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR; rare
condition in which the pulmonary veins do not empty into the heart)
·
Transposition of the great vessels (rare condition in
which the major vessels entering or leaving the heart are misconnected
Gastrointestinal disease causes of finger
clubbing
Finger clubbing can also be caused by
gastrointestinal diseases including:
·
Celiac disease (severe sensitivity to gluten from
wheat and other grains that causes intestinal damage)
·
Cirrhosis of the liver
·
Inflammatory bowel disease (includes Crohn’s disease
and ulcerative colitis)
·
Liver cancer
Other causes of finger clubbing
Finger clubbing can also have other causes
including:
·
Acromegaly (gigantism caused by a pituitary tumor)
·
Atrial myxoma (tumor arising within heart(
·
Dysentery (infectious inflammation of the colon,
causing severe diarrhea)
·
Endocarditis (inflammation of heart tissue, often
infectious(
·
Graves’ disease (type of hyperthyroidism resulting in
excessive thyroid hormone production(
·
Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cancer of the lymph tissues(
·
Pregnancy
Questions for diagnosing the cause of
finger clubbing
To diagnose your condition, your doctor or
licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to
your finger clubbing including:
·
Do you have any other symptoms?
·
Do you have difficulty breathing?
·
What medications are you taking?
·
When did you first notice finger clubbing?
·
What are the potential complications of finger
clubbing?
Because finger clubbing can be due to
serious diseases that cause cyanosis, failure to seek treatment can result in
serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is
diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and
your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of
potential complications including:
·
Heart failure
·
Long-term physical disability
·
Organ failure or dysfunction
·
Respiratory failure
·
Spread of cancer
·
Spread of infection
Treatment:
No specific treatment for clubbing is
available. Treatment of the underlying pathological condition may decrease the
clubbing or, potentially, reverse it if performed early enough. Once
substantial chronic tissue changes, including increased collagen deposition,
have occurred, reversal is unlikely. Treatment for related problems, such as
pain, is symptomatic.
Source : http://www.healthgrades.com/