Nail Changes with Hepatitis C

[pooh55811]

Anybody else have nail problems?

I used to have perfect nails: not brittle, no ridges or striations, looked healthy, looked great. Over the past few years I have noticed they break all of the time and they have longitudinal ridges in them that would start to split and that would make the nail break on either side of the ridge. I had to keep them real short so they would not get weird and split.

I started triple med treatment Sept. 26th. I have done 24 weeks. Somewhere along the line, after a few weeks, I noticed my nails are normal again: healthy looking, no splits, not brittle, longitudinal ridges gone.

I just looked on the internet to see if the nail problem was Hep C and this is what I found:

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2010 Jun;24(6):649-54. Epub 2009 Nov 2.

Nail changes in patients with liver disease.

Salem A, Gamil H, Hamed M, Galal S.

Source

Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. ***@****

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Liver cirrhosis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) virus infections are known to be associated with different skin disorders. Nail changes are additional important criteria, which would help in identification of these systemic diseases.

OBJECTIVE:

To record the nail abnormalities in patients with liver disease which were not reported before, especially those with HCV and HBV infection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

The study comprised 100 patients with HCV, HBV and liver cell failure, and 100 normal healthy controls. Both groups underwent full history taking and thorough general examination, complete blood picture, hepatitis B antigen, hepatitis C antibody, liver function tests, abdominal ultrasonography and PCR were performed in patients with liver disease. Full nail examination was performed.

RESULTS:

Nail changes were more prevalent in patient group (68%) than in the control group (35%). The nail infection, onychomycosis, was the most common finding in 18% of patients and that in controls was 10% followed by in a descending order, longitudinal striations, brittle nails, onychorrhexis, clubbing of fingers, dystrophic nails, leukonychia and longitudinal melanonychia.

CONCLUSION:

Nail changes are observed with not only liver cirrhosis but also with HCV and HBV infection, and this will add additional clinical criteria for general practitioners and dermatologists to help them with diagnosis of these common systemic infections.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19888943


Hopefully this means my nails will be normal again as long as I attain SVR.

[pooh55811]

My nails were a mess before treatment (for the past few years, not my whole life). Since I have been on treatment they have improved dramatically and now are normal again. I am thinking it is due to the drugs and/or the improving liver and/or the reduction of the VL that have helped them get back to normal.

[orphanedhawk]

Someone posted about a ridge on their nails recently but since the search on this forum is too difficult for me, I couldn't find it.

Hair, nails, skin are can all be ffected during tx, and will return to normal after.

[jules2551]

I should have said middle and ring finger.  Thank God there is no ring on the finger.  lol

[jules2551]

I have had major nail changes recently within the last couple of years.  They grow fast but are very fragile.  Also I have the verticle lines on all of them.  Also due to PCT i have my middle and index finger combining as one.  It's now starting to happen in the other hand.  I literally cannot spread the two fingers when trying to.  I am G2/S3 so I don't know.  I think other things are complicating the situation.  (very attractive...NOT)!

Jules