Muehrcke Lines of the Fingernails

Excerpt

Muehrcke's nails, also known as Muehrcke's lines, were first described by Dr. Robert Muehrcke's 1956 publication in the British Medical Journal. The findings are indicative of an apparent leukonychia, a white discoloration of the nail that fades with pressure while maintaining nail transparency. As with other conditions that are forms of apparent leukonychia, Muehrcke's nails may be indicative of underlying systemic pathologies. In 1956, Muehrcke described the association of this condition with hypoalbuminemia in his cohort of 65 patients, but since then, it has also been linked to other various etiologies.