Profile of Nail Disorders in Patients Presenting to a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kashmir Valley

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Nail disorders comprise about 10% of alldermatological conditions. They may get involved invarious systemic diseases, infectious processes, nutritionaldeficiencies, ageing, genetic disorders, and neoplasms.Current study objective was to see the clinical pattern of nailchanges in patients presenting with various nail disorders andto determine the clinical pattern of nail involvement in variousdermatoses.Material and methods: This was a cross sectional study inwhich patients presenting to our department with any naildisorders were examined. A proper history, examination andthe relevant investigations like KOH, nail culture, and nailbiopsy were also done.Results: A total of 500 patients were screened, 282 femalesand 218 males. The most common nail change observed waslongitudinal ridging (45.6%), followed by distal subungualhyperkeratosis (35.8%) and cuticular changes (35.2%).Onychomycosis was the most common nail disorder observed,constituting 36.2% of all nails diseases. Among non infectivediseases, nail psoriasis was the most common nail disorderfollowed by nail lichen planus.Conclusion: A variety of nail changes can occur in variousdermatological and various other systemic disorders. So athorough clinical examination of nails is of prime importanceto correlate all these nail changes and to make dermatologiststo reach a conclusive diagnosis.