Yellow nail syndrome and bilateral cystic lung disease

In patients with yellow nail syndrome (YNS), highly characteristic nail cha nges are often associated with lymphedema and respiratory disorders due to pleural effusions or bronchiectasis. We describe a 4-year-old girl with the YNS who also had cystic lesions of the lung, affecting first the left lowe r robe and, after surgical resection of the involved segments, also the rig ht lower lobe. We discuss the etiology of the pulmonary cysts and hypothesi ze that abnormalities in pulmonary lymphatic flow, characteristic of YNS, m ay have decreased lung tissue compliance and determined the unusual progres sion of the cystic lesions in this patient. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1998; 26:429- 433 (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.