[Review on hypertrophic osteoarthropathy and digital clubbing]

Clubbing was first described by Hippocrates more than 2.500 years ago. It may be seen alone or as part of an entity called hypertrophic osteoarthropathy which include periostitis, arthritis and sometimes thickening and edema of the skin around the affected joints. Pulmonary diseases such as cancer, abscess, empyema, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis are the major diseases known to be associate with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy. Digestive tract cancer, cyanogenic congenital heart disease are well known association. Many theories have attempted to explain the appearance of this sign but few have persisted. In this article, we review characteristics, relation with etiology and the basis of the pathophysiology of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy and particularly of clubbing.