Subungual hemorrhages. A primary manifestation of diabetes mellitus.
Subungual hemorrhages may be observed in a variety of systemic diseases and in some otherwise healthy persons. We describe three male patients who were referred because of toenail hemorrhages. Analytical investigations showed hyperglycemia in all the patients. Toenail bilateral hemorrhages were the first manifestation of previously undiagnosed type II diabetes mellitus in all cases. Ophthalmologic examination showed signs of background diabetic retinopathy in all three patients. The existence of retinopathy suggests that subungual hemorrhages might be due to microvascular involvement and could herald the presence of diabetes mellitus.
Iglesias
P
P
Department of Endocrinology, Centro de Salud Juncal, Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.
Olmos
O
O
Sastre
J
J
Diez
J J
JJ
Fernandez
M L
ML
Borbujo
J
J
D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000209:etiology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D014034:Toes