[Diseases seen during a hospital consultation of nail diseases: prospective study]

Purpose of our study was to specify type of diseases seen during a hospital consultation of nails diseases. In our knowledge, no study on the subject was until published.

Study was realized in a forward-looking way during a period of 1 year between 13/09/2007 and 18/09/2008. It was realized in dermatology department at Orleans, during the consultation specialized in nail pathology (weekly vacation).

One hundred and thirty-six patients were included in the study: 60.3% (82) was women. Average age was 47.9 years (extremes: 8-92 years). In all, 24.3% (33) of patients were sent by dermatologist, 8.1% (11) by hospital doctor, 2.1% (3) by pedicurist. Nail diseases observed were: ingrowing toenails: 36.8% (50 patients), onychomycoses: 31.6% (43 patients), traumatic or frictional nail lesions: 11.7% (16 patients), longitudinal mélanonychies: 8.1% (11), benign tumors: 5.1% (7 patients), nail psoriasis: 5.1% (7 patients), lichen: 1.5% (2 patients).

Patients seen during this consultation were of all age, with a clear feminine ascendancy (probably connected to aesthetic embarrassment). A significant number of patients were sent by dermatologist (24.3%) or hospital doctor (8.2%): it is a consultation of expertise. Ingrowing toenails and onychomycoses were the most frequent motives for consultation, these correspond to nail pathologies the most frequent in general population.