Diagnostic Pointers in Cardiology - Extremities
By : Dr. Subrahmanyam Karuturi
| Diagnostic Pointers | Diagnosis | Associated Cardiac Diagnosis |
| Simian line | Down Syndrome | ASD |
| Hyperextensible joints | Osteogenesis Imperfects | Aortic Regurgitation |
| Nicotine finger stains | Chain Smokers | Coronary Artery Disease |
| Leg edema | Congestive Heart Failure | |
| Raynaud's phenomenon | Systemic Sclerosis | Pulmonary Hypertension, Pericarditis, Myocarditis |
| Clubbing, splinter hemorrhages | Endocarditis | |
| Osler's nodes, Janeway lesions | Bacterial Endoocarditis | |
| Sudden pallor, pain, coldness | Peripheral Embolization | |
| Reversed differential cyanosis, clubbing - Hands are cyanotic and clubbed but feet are normal | Transposition of Great Arteries | |
| Liver Palms - thenar and hypothenar erythema | Chronic Hepatic Congestion | Cardiac Cirrhosis, Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy, Fibrinous pericarditis, Wide pulse pressure |
| Mainline track lines | Addicts | Tricuspid Regurgitation, Septic Emboli, Endocarditis |
| Cyanosis and clubbing of central mixing | Right-to-Left Shunts, Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistulas, Drainage of Inferior Vena Cava into left atrium | |
| Differential cyanosis and clubbing - the reversed shunt limits cyanosis and clubbing to the feet, but spares hands | PDA with Pulmonary Hypertension | |
| Ulnar deviation | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Pericardial, Valvular or Myocardial Disease |
| Tightly tapered and contracted fingers, ischemic ulcers, hypoplastic nails | Systemic Sclerosis | Pulmonary Hypertension, Myocardial Disease, Pericarditis, Valvulopathy |
| Arachnodactyly, hyperextensible joints, flat feet | Marfan's Syndrome | Aortic Dilation, Aortic Regurgitation, Mitral Valve Prolapse |
Diagnostic Pointers in Cardiology
