What integumentary changes are commonly seen in patients with chronic CKD?

In patients with chronic chronic kidney disease (CKD), specific integumentary changes can result from alterations in skin moisture, changes in blood flow to the skin, and imbalances in electrolytes and waste products. Brittle nails are commonly observed due to the impaired nutrition of the nails caused by the underlying kidney dysfunction, leading to structural changes in the nail.

Ecchymosis, or bruising, can occur in these patients due to impaired platelet function and coagulopathy associated with kidney failure. The kidneys play a critical role in maintaining the balance of electrolytes and the removal of toxins, and when they fail, this can lead to increased bleeding tendencies and easy bruising.

While excessive sweating does occur in certain conditions, it is not as widely recognized as a primary integumentary change related to chronic CKD. Similarly, the increase in the number of moles is not a common dermatological finding associated with kidney disease. Thus, brittleness of the nails combined with the tendency to develop ecchymosis accurately reflects typical integumentary changes seen in patients with chronic CKD.