Acrocyanosis (not benign)

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