Yellow nail syndrome: a case report and review of treatment options

Yellow nail syndrome is a rare disorder involving characteristic nail changes, lymphedema and chronic respiratory symptoms. Currently there is no definitive treatment and there have been no prospective randomised controlled trials evaluating the available options. In order to strengthen the literature on this topic, we present the case of a 67-year-old man with YNS and a detailed review of current treatment options.

We included 40 articles for the final review according to their relevance with the subject.

Data for use of the commonly chosen therapies for YNS remains inconclusive, with small studies and case reports showing mixed results of efficacy.

Although the date indicates that it is reasonable to recommend a trial of conservative therapy including vitamin E, antibiotics and compression stockings before pursuing more aggressive or invasive modalities, larger scale studies are required to determine the true efficacy of all treatment options.