Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2019. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. May 26, 2019; 7(10): 1103-1110
Published online May 26, 2019. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v7.i10.1103
Analysis of 24 patients with Achenbach's syndrome
Fatih Ada, Ferit Kasimzade
Fatih Ada, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Sivas Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas 58140, Turkey
Ferit Kasimzade, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06100, Turkey
Author contributions: Ada F designed and performed the research and wrote the paper; Kasimzade F provided clinical advice and contributed to the analysis.
Institutional review board statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the Sivas Cumhuriyet University.
Informed consent statement: All patients gave informed consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict-of-interests.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Fatih Ada, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cardiovascular Surgeon, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Sivas Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Merkez, Sivas 58140, Turkey. drfatihada@gmail.com
Telephone: +90-346-2191010
Received: January 15, 2019
Peer-review started: January 15, 2019
First decision: March 10, 2019
Revised: April 29, 2019
Accepted: May 1, 2019
Article in press: May 1, 2019
Published online: May 26, 2019
Processing time: 131 Days and 11.9 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Achenbach’s syndrome is often characterized by a sudden onset of pain and bruising in the fingers. The etiology and clinical course of this syndrome are unknown. In fact, this syndrome is seen commonly in the clinic, but the lack of a known morbidity and mortality lead to a neglect of diagnosis and treatment. In our retrospective study from different centers, detailed data were obtained about Achenbach’s syndrome.

Research motivation

Achenbach’s syndrome is rarely diagnosed but is commonly seen in clinical practice. As the awareness of the syndrome increases, it will be revealed that it is seen much more than it was once thought.

Research objectives

In this study, we aimed to determine the symptoms, laboratory values, and clinical characteristics of patients with Achenbach’s syndrome. It was aimed to compare the obtained data with the current literature.

Research methods

Twenty-four patients who were diagnosed with Achenbach’s syndrome in different centers between 2016 and 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. The sociodemographic data, laboratory values, and clinical characteristics of the patients were compared with the literature.

Research results

In this study, patients diagnosed with Achenbach’s syndrome were retrospectively evaluated, and 83.33% of the patients were female. This rate was 5 times higher than male patients. There was no pathology in the bleeding profiles of the patients. No pathology was detected by pulse oximetry of the bruising finger in any patient. All patients had pain and bruising of their fingers. The most frequently affected side was the upper right extremity and the index finger.

Research conclusions

The bruising in the fingers was not characterized by impaired circulation and oxygenation. Therefore, we hypothesized the syndrome is a venous disease. Although the most common place of this syndrome is the fingers, the condition of the brain and other vital organs is unknown. Achenbach’s syndrome needs an algorithm for diagnosis and treatment.

Research perspectives

Achenbach’s syndrome should be kept in mind if a patient suddenly has a bruised finger. An algorithm should be created for diagnosis and treatment of Achenbach’s syndrome. Other features of the Achenbach’s syndrome should be revealed in a multidisciplinary approach.