Flash information
- Observation
- The photograph shows enlarged fingertips and curved nails.
- Limitation
- The photograph cannot establish pulmonary disease.
Definition
Enlarged distal digits with increased nail curvature.
Reading method
Inspect front and side views; assess the Schamroth window.
Morphological description
The photograph shows enlarged fingertips and curved nails.
Interpretation and diagnostic limits
The original case concerns laxative abuse after investigating alternatives.
Differential diagnoses
Consider pulmonary, cardiac, digestive and familial causes.
Clinical correlation
Assess chronology, symptoms and exposures.
Clinical impact
Assessment depends on suspected cause and associated findings.
Pitfalls
The photograph cannot establish pulmonary disease.
Take-home message
Recognise the sign before determining its origin.
Sources
- Charlton et al. · Nail clubbing in laxative abuse: case report and review of the literature · 2019 ↗
Documentary review: 2026-10-14
Media source & rights
- Author
- Olivia A. Charlton; Philippa Dickison; Saxon D. Smith; Simon D. Roger
- Original source
- Olivia A. Charlton; Philippa Dickison; Saxon D. Smith; Simon D. Roger · Hippocratisme digital documenté · https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-019-0236-4 · CC BY 4.0
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Changes
- Complete figure retained; proportional resize and WebP conversion, no clinical alteration.
- Dimensions
- 685 × 514 px
- Check
- 2026-10-14