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Screening nails for chronic GVHD

Evaluation

Patient-reported symptoms and signs

  • Brittle nails
  • Increased ridging in nails
  • Splitting nails
  • Nail loss

Clinical examination

Visual inspection of nails

Diagnostic testing

None

Clinical manifestation

Clinical manifestation
Description

Dystrophy*

Longitudinal ridging, splitting or brittleness

Onycholysis*

Loosening of a nail from the nail bed beginning at the free edge and proceeding to the root

Nail loss*

Usually symmetric; affects most nails

Pterygium unguis*

Forward growth of the cuticle over the nail


* Distinctive but insufficient alone to establish an unequivocal diagnosis of chronic GVHD without further testing or additional organ involvement.

** Rare, controversial, or non-specific features of chronic GVHD.

*** Common in both acute and chronic GVHD.

Photo Atlas

This photo atlas contains pictorial representations of various clinical manifestations of chronic GVHD.

  • Nail dystrophy

    Nail dystrophy

    Longitudinal ridging, splitting, or brittle features of nails. Note periungual erythema.