Acropachy is a dermopathy associated with
Graves' disease
Graves' disease (german: Morbus Basedow), also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It frequently results in and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in an enlarged thyr ...
.
It is characterized by soft-tissue swelling of the hands and
clubbing of the fingers.
Radiographic imaging of affected extremities typically demonstrates
periostitis, most commonly the
metacarpal bones
In human anatomy, the metacarpal bones or metacarpus form the intermediate part of the skeletal hand located between the phalanges of the fingers and the carpal bones of the wrist, which forms the connection to the forearm. The metacarpal bones ...
. The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by stimulating auto-antibodies that are implicated in the
pathophysiology
Pathophysiology ( physiopathology) – a convergence of pathology with physiology – is the study of the disordered physiological processes that cause, result from, or are otherwise associated with a disease or injury. Pathology is the ...
of Graves'
thyrotoxicosis. There is no effective treatment for acropachy.
Since it is closely associated with Graves' disease, it is associated with other manifestations of Graves' disease, such as Graves'
ophthalmopathy
Graves’ ophthalmopathy, also known as thyroid eye disease (TED), is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder of the orbit and periorbital tissues, characterized by upper eyelid retraction, lid lag, swelling, redness (erythema), conjunctivitis, and b ...
and
thyroid
The thyroid, or thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans it is in the neck and consists of two connected lobes. The lower two thirds of the lobes are connected by a thin band of tissue called the thyroid isthmus. The thy ...
dermopathy.
Hereditary acropachy (also known as "isolated congenital nail clubbing") may be associated with
HPGD.
See also
*
Periosteal reaction
A periosteal reaction is the formation of new bone in response to injury or other stimuli of the periosteum surrounding the bone. It is most often identified on X-ray films of the bones.
Cause
A periosteal reaction can result from a large number ...
References
External links
Radiopaedia.org: Thyroid acropachy
Musculoskeletal disorders
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