What's Your Diagnosis?
Fingernail Abnormalities After a Systemic Illness
Examining a patient’s nails and understanding nail growth mechanics can provide helpful clues to help treat past injuries or underlying diseases...
A 73-year-old male veteran with a history of ischemic stroke with left-sided deficits and edema, falls, poorly controlled hypertension, active tobacco use, obesity, and prediabetes was assessed on a routine visit by our home-based primary care team and found to have a new, unilateral, asymptomatic rash. He reported feeling no pain in the affected area or any significant increase in the baseline left lower extremity edema and weakness resulting from his stroke 2 years prior.
On the left lateral leg from mid-thigh to mid-calf, there was a nontender, flat, reticulated rash with pigmentary alteration ranging from light brown to dark brown (Figure).
On further questioning, the patient reported regular use of a space heater because his gas furnace had been destroyed in an earthquake more than 20 years before. He would place this heater close to his left leg when using the computer or while sleeping in his wheelchair.
- What is your diagnosis?
- How would you treat this patient?
