Splinter hemorrhage
Splinter hemorrhages (or haemorrhages) are tiny blood clots that tend to run vertically under the nails.[1] Splinter hemorrhages are a nonspecific finding[clarification needed] and can be associated with subacute bacterial endocarditis, scleroderma, trichinosis, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic nails,[2] antiphospholipid syndrome[3]:659, and trauma.[4] At first they are usually plum-colored, but then darken to brown or black in a couple of days. In certain conditions (in particular, infective endocarditis), clots can migrate from the affected heart valve and find their way into various parts of the body. If this happens in the finger, it can cause damage to the capillaries resulting in a splinter hemorrhage.
There are a number of other causes for splinter hemorrhages. They could be due to hitting the nail ("trauma"), a sign of inflammation in blood vessels all around the body ("systemic vasculitis"), or they could be where a bit of cholesterol has got lodged in the finger's capillaries. Even if a patient does have infective endocarditis, probably 5 in every 6 patients won't have splinter hemorrhages.
[edit] References
- ^ "What are the splinter hemorrhages causes?". Splinter Hemorrhages. http://splinterhemorrhages.com/2011/11/splinter-hemorrhages-causes/. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ Li, Cindy (29 March 2011). "Nail Psoriasis: Overview of Nail Psoriasis". Medscape. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1107949-overview. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ Freedberg, et al. (2003). Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0071380760.
- ^ Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. ISBN 1-4160-2999-0.
