Skin Problems Due to Pulmonary Disorders

Do skin problems occur due to pulmonary disease?

You might be wondering if this happens for real or not. The answer is yes, but it does not always happen.

Read on to the end to clear your confusion.

Your body organs are in connection with each other. Hence, they combine to form body systems.

Example:

Imagine you got sinusitis. It does not only affect sinuses but includes muscle aches, headaches, fever, etc.

The same is the case with pulmonary illness. This disease may show signs and symptoms through different body organs.

Moreover, read this research through pulmonologist’s perspective: Diseases with skin and lung involvement.

Now is the time to dig in several lung disorders manifesting skin problems.

In this Article

1. Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency

It is a genetic disorder. When the production of Alpha-1-antitrypsin reduces; so, it leads to skin, lung, and liver disorders.

Clinical examination of the skin shows:

Recurrent ulcerative
Inflammation of subcutaneous fat along with red, painful nodules

2. Skin problems during asthma

Flaky and itchy skin can be a sign of allergic asthma. This skin irritation may convert into eczema.

3. Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome

It is an autosomal-dominant inherited disease. This syndrome is a mixture of disorders such as

the cyst
the collapse of the lung plus kidney
skin tumors.

4. Skin problems during COPD

One may not experience any skin disorder primarily. But the advancement of COPD leads to inflammation of

Ankles and feet
Bluish skin color
Cyanosis

You can also check: Skin condition and its relationship to systemic inflammation in chronic

5. Skin problems during cyanosis

When mucous membranes and skin appear to bluish discoloration. Moreover, leading to peripheral cyanosis on fingers or other extremities.

6. Skin problems during Cystic fibrosis

Clinical findings of this disease may differ. Usual signs can include:

aquagenic skin wrinkling – edematous whitish plaques on the palms on exposure to water
dermatitis – skin irritation
cutaneous vasculitis – inflamed blood vessels in the skin

7. Skin problems during emphysema

A decrease in the elasticity of the skin. Along with bulging of skin can characterize subcutaneous emphysema.

8. Churg-Strauss syndrome

This syndrome is also known as eosinophilic granulomatosis accompanied by polyangiitis.

It occurs rarely. It initially affects the peripheral nervous system, lungs, and skin. Small-vessels vasculitis along with granulomas can be observed upon testing and diagnosis.

9. Fat embolism syndrome

Multiple disorders initiate when fragments or molecules of fat start releasing into circulation. One of the vital cutaneous signs manifests a petechial outbreak with 2–3 mm purpuric macules petechial eruption with 2–3 mm purpuric macules.

10. Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy

Finger clubbing and inflammation of the connective tissue layer surrounding the bone indicate an issue of skin.

11. Skin problems during Lung cancer

Mostly cutaneous region of the scalp, abdominal wall chest neck metastases start in lung cancer patients. Skin nodules increase fast and are painless yet hard.

Some other signs are:

Acanthosis nigricans – (Hyperpigmentation and thickening of the skin)
Erythema gyratum repens – (A rare, paraneoplastic rash)
Necrolytic migratory erythema – (Skin disorder characterized by scaly lesions)
Tripe palms – (Thick velvety palms)
Dermatomyositis – (Muscle inflammation and skin rash)
Trousseau syndrome – (Clotting of blood)
Acquired ichthyosis – (Dry and rough skin)
Acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa -(Excess of non-pigmented and long fine hair)