Successful Octreotide Treatment of Chylous Pleural Effusion and Lymphedema in the Yellow Nail Syndrome
Authors: Konstantinos Makrilakis, Spyridon Pavlatos, Georgios Giannikopoulos, Christos Toubanakis, Nikolaos Katsilambros
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2004)

Letters3 August 2004Successful Octreotide Treatment of Chylous Pleural Effusion and Lymphedema in the Yellow Nail SyndromeKonstantinos Makrilakis, MD, MPH, PhD, Spyridon Pavlatos, MD, Georgios Giannikopoulos, MD, Christos Toubanakis, MD, and Nikolaos Katsilambros, MD, PhDKonstantinos Makrilakis, MD, MPH, PhDFrom University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.Search for more papers by this author, Spyridon Pavlatos, MDFrom University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.Search for more papers by this author, Georgios Giannikopoulos, MDFrom University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.Search for more papers by this author, Christos Toubanakis, MDFrom University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.Search for more papers by this author, and Nikolaos Katsilambros, MD, PhDFrom University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-141-3-200408030-00028 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Background: The yellow nail syndrome, a disease of unclear cause, consists of the triad of yellow nails, lymphedema, and respiratory manifestations (bronchiectasis, pleural effusions, recurrent pneumonias, bronchitis, and sinusitis) (1). It results from an abnormality of the lymphatic vessels that causes impaired drainage of lymph. Pleural effusions can be unilateral or bilateral. The volume varies from small to massive, and the fluid is usually straw-colored and predominately lymphocytic. Treatment is generally unsatisfactory. Patients often require frequent thoracentesis to drain recurrent pleural effusions. Chemical pleurodesis and pleurectomy may prevent recurrences in severely symptomatic patients.Objective: To describe a ...References1. Nordkild P, Kromann-Andersen H, Struve-Christensen E. Yellow nail syndrome—the triad of yellow nails, lymphedema and pleural effusions. A review of the literature and a case report. Acta Med Scand. 1986;219:221-7. [PMID: 3962735] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Widjaja A, Gratz KF, Ockenga J, Wagner S, Manns MP. Octreotide for therapy ofchylous ascites in yellow nail syndrome [Letter]. Gastroenterology. 1999;116:1017-8. [PMID: 10092335] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Rimensberger PC, Muller-Schenker B, Kalangos A, Beghetti M. Treatment of a persistent postoperative chylothorax with somatostatin. Ann Thorac Surg. 1998;66:253-4. [PMID: 9692478] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Lamberts SW, van der Lely AJ, de Herder WW, Hofland LJ. Octreotide. N Engl J Med. 1996;334:246-54. [PMID: 8532003] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Sreedharan SP, Kodama KT, Peterson KE, Goetzl EJ. Distinct subsets of somatostatin receptors on cultured human lymphocytes. J Biol Chem. 1989;264:949-52. [PMID: 2562957] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByYellow nail syndrome: a case report and review of treatment optionsNonmalignant Adult Thoracic Lymphatic DisordersPulmonary Shadow on Prenatal Sonogram“You Have a Syndrome”—Words You Don’t Want to Hear from a Doctor. Battling Yellow Nail SyndromeCharacteristics of patients with yellow nail syndrome and pleural effusionCase-based discussion from North Tyneside General Hospital: somatostatin analogues in yellow nail syndrome associated with recurrent pleural effusionsAffections cardiaques et pulmonairesUse of somatostatin analogues to treat chylothorax in a child with Generalised Lymphatic DysplasiaDyspnoea, cough, edema: Heart failure or what else?Changes in Lung Function and Chylous Effusions in Patients With Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Treated With SirolimusAngelo M. Taveira-DaSilva, MD, PhD, Olanda Hathaway, CRNP, Mario Stylianou, PhD, and Joel Moss, MD, PhDCutaneous Vascular DiseasesOnicopatía y derrame pleural bilateralCongenital pulmonary lymphangiectasiaEl síndrome de las uñas amarillas: a propósito de una asociación con Mycobacterium tuberculosisLymphangioleiomyomatosisOctreotide and chylothoraxLiterature Watch Isaka N , Padera TP , et al. Peritumor Lymphatics Induced by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C Exhibit Abnormal Function. Cancer Res 2004;64:4400–4444. 3 August 2004Volume 141, Issue 3Page: 246-247KeywordsChylothoraxLymphLymphedemaOxygenPharmacokineticsPleural effusionPneumoniaPulmonary diseasesRespiratory system proceduresSomatostatin ePublished: 3 August 2004 Issue Published: 3 August 2004 CopyrightCopyright © 2004 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...