A 48-yrs-old male alcoholic with cirrhosis has bilateral gynecomastia. Which physical findings has the same pathogenesis as gynecomastia?: (A) Caput medusae, (B) Asterixis, (C) Ascites, (D) Spider angioma
Answer is D. Gynecomastia in male cirrhotics is caused by hyperes­trinism secondaty to the inability of the liver to metab­olize estrogens. Hyperestrinism results in the develop­ment of female secondary sex characteristics, palmar erythema, spider angioma, and testicular atrophy caused by decreased testosterone.