Clinico-Etiological Study of Nail Disorders at a Tertiary Care Center in Maharashtra, India

In a cross-sectional observational study of 200 patients at a tertiary care center in Maharashtra, India, the mean age of participants with nail disorders was 37.98 years, with a higher incidence in males. The study found that occupation, particularly housewives and manual laborers, was a significant risk factor for onychomycosis (P < 0.001). Cosmetic concerns were the primary complaint in 49.5% of cases. Nail changes were most commonly secondary to dermatological diseases (44%), with psoriasis (42.2%) and lichen planus (16.6%) being the most prevalent. Nail pitting was significantly associated with psoriasis (P < 0.001), and onychomycosis was significantly linked to nail discoloration and onycholysis (P < 0.001). The most common type of onychomycosis was distal lateral subungual onychomycosis (61.4%), and the predominant causative agent was the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum (58.26%). Out of 15 nail biopsies performed, 12 yielded conclusive results. The study concludes that nail examination is crucial for the early diagnosis of cutaneous and systemic diseases and should be an integral part of dermatological evaluations.