The importance of finger clubbing in pulmonary tuberculosis

Finger clubbing was observed in 21% of 70 adult Nigerian patients presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis. These patients had a significantly higher incidence of haemoptysis and they also showed a significantly lower body weight and serum albumin than those without clubbing. Their chest x-rays revealed larger cavities and at 2 months the mortality of the patients with finger clubbing (40%) was very much higher than of those without (5.5%). It is suggested that finger clubbing is of value in assessing patients with pulmonary tuberculosis because it helps to identify those with severe destructive disease.