Terry's nails

• Terry's nails have a distinct white discoloration of the nail bed proximally to the distal 1-2 mm of the distal edge - this leaves an exaggerated pink-brown discoloration to the free edge of the nail (1)
  • the nail loses its colour pattern if there is an application of pressure
  • generally all nails are uniformly affected with a ground glass look (2)
  • conditions where Terry's nails have been reported include:
    • cirrhosis of the liver - usually 80% of cirrhosis patients presents with Terrry’s nails
    • chronic congestive heart failure
    • adult-onset diabetes mellitus
    • HIV patients
    • in haemodialysis and renal transplant patients - rarely (2)

Reference:

• (1) Zaiac MN, Daniel CR. Nails in systemic disease Dermatologic Therapy 2002;15 (2); 99?106.
• (2) Gregoriou S et al. Nail disorders and systemic disease: What the nails tell us. JFP 2008; 57(8)