Longitudinal erythronychia: suggestions for evaluation and management

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Nail Diseases
• Oncology

Background:

• Longitudinal erythronychia is a frequent nail presentation.
• It can be categorized into localized (one nail) or polydactylous (multiple nails) forms.
• Both presentations share common underlying pathogenesis but have distinct differential diagnoses and workups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate between localized and polydactylous longitudinal erythronychia.
• To outline the distinct differential diagnoses and workups for each presentation.
• To emphasize the importance of understanding pathogenesis for evaluation and management.

Main Methods:

• Clinical presentation analysis
• Differential diagnosis review
• Pathogenesis correlation

Main Results:

• Localized longitudinal erythronychia often indicates onychopapilloma but can mimic malignancies, necessitating biopsy.
• Polydactylous longitudinal erythronychia is typically associated with regional or systemic causes.
• Longitudinal erythronychia can occasionally be an early sign of significant underlying diseases.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of longitudinal erythronychia requires differentiating between localized and polydactylous types.
• Biopsy may be essential for localized presentations due to potential malignancy.
• Recognizing polydactylous forms aids in identifying systemic or regional health issues.