Acrocyanosis (not benign)
Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Acrocyanosis refers to a bluish or cyanotic discoloration of the skin of the hands and sometimes the feet. It is often a benign condition that does not require medical intervention, but when it is not benign, it could indicate a serious medical problem and may shed important information when rendering a differential diagnosis.
Acrocyanosis may be seen in patients with connective tissue diseases, thromboangiitis obliterans, and diseases associated with central cyanosis. It can also arise chronically from a neurohormonal disorder of the cardiovascular system or acutely due to shock. Acrocyanosis can also be a sign of a sinister but slow-growing disease such as cardiac failure. It is also seen in cold agglutinin autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.
Differential Diagnosis
- Acquired cardiac defects
- Bronchiectasis
- Chronic bronchitis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Cold Agglutinin Disease
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Constitutional acrocyanosis
- Cor Pulmonale
- Feer's Disease (acrodynia)
- Mitral Stenosis
- Mitral Valve Insufficiency
- Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Perniosis
- Peripheral Arterial Disease
- Pulmonary Emphysema
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Raynaud's Syndrome
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Vegetative vasomotoric hyperexcitability
- Venous thrombosis
- Waldenstrom's Syndrome
See also
- Acrocyanosis (benign) - describes the more common benign condition