Nail disorders: yellow nail syndrome: practice question

A Dermatology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dermatology · Nail disorders: yellow nail syndrome

Sample item

A patient has thickened, slow-growing, yellow-green curved nails with lymphoedema and recurrent pleural effusions. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Yellow nail syndrome

Yellow nail syndrome is a triad of yellow dystrophic nails, lymphoedema and respiratory disease such as pleural effusions and chronic sinusitis, linked to lymphatic hypoplasia. Vitamin E and treating associated disease may help.

Option by option

  • A. Psoriatic nail disease

    Psoriatic nails show pitting and oil drop signs.

  • B. Yellow nail syndrome (correct)

    Correct. The triad defines the syndrome.

  • C. Onychomycosis

    Onychomycosis lacks lymphoedema and effusions.

  • D. Green nail syndrome

    Green nail syndrome is Pseudomonas colonisation of onycholytic nails.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dermatology question

What is the answer to this Dermatology question?

The best answer is B, Yellow nail syndrome. Yellow nail syndrome is a triad of yellow dystrophic nails, lymphoedema and respiratory disease such as pleural effusions and chronic sinusitis, linked to lymphatic hypoplasia.

Why is "Psoriatic nail disease" not the answer?

Psoriatic nails show pitting and oil drop signs.

Why is "Onychomycosis" not the answer?

Onychomycosis lacks lymphoedema and effusions.

Why is "Green nail syndrome" not the answer?

Green nail syndrome is Pseudomonas colonisation of onycholytic nails.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nail disorders: yellow nail syndrome in Dermatology. Vitamin E and treating associated disease may help.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nail disorders: yellow nail syndrome?

Learn each condition by its primary lesion, site and signature sign. Then use the flashcards and the other Dermatology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.