ABSTRACT
Background: Nail changes associated with ageing are common in the elderly
and include characteristic modifications of color, contour, growth, surface,
thickness and histology. No cutaneous examination is complete without a careful
clinical evaluation of the nails. Objective: The aim of present work is to
assess the frequency of senile nail changes and disorders in Iraqi people above
50 years old compared with control age group (20 - 30 years old). Patients and
methods: This case-controlled, cross-sectional study was performed in the
outpatient clinic of Dermatology and Venereology Department at the Kufa College
of Medicine Teaching Hospital in Najaf Province in the period from September
2010 to April 2011. The study included 200 subjects, of which 100 patients were
above 50 years old (study group), and the other 100 subjects were from 20 - 30
years old (control group). A detailed history from each subject was recorded to
detect the onset, duration and progression of nail changes and/or disorders,
their occupation and any environmental exposure. A careful examination of the nails was carried out to assess the type of
nail changes, site and symmetry. Any patient with systemic disease,
dermatological disease or with suspected drug intake was excluded from the
study. Results: The present work has shown that many nail changes were more
frequent among older age individuals than younger age group with significant
statistical difference (p = 0.043 - 0.000) like dull opaque appearance, rough
lusterlessness, longitudinal ridging, altered thickness, ragged cuticle,
altered contour, subungual hyperkeratosis and scaling nail folds. Chromonychia
was not statistically significant (14% of study group versus 16% of the
control) with p = 0.692. Longitudinal melanonychia was significantly higher in
the study group (6% versus 0% of the control) with p = 0.013, while punctate
leukonychia was significantly higher in the control group (16% versus 4% of
study group) with p = 0.005. Conclusion: Some changes of the nail are significantly
correlated with advanced age like dull opaque nails, rough lusterlessness,
longitudinal ridging. Therefore, these signs can be regarded as indicative of
ageing of healthy Iraqi people.