[Is circumoral cyanosis a sign of peripheral or of central cyanosis?].

Two hundred Dutch paediatricians were invited to give their description and interpretation of the concept of 'circumoral cyanosis'. Analysis of the results shows great inter-doctor variability: 63% considered the circumoral cyanosis as a pathologic sign and 70% as an expression of central cyanosis, although in textbooks and publications this sign is defined as an expression of peripheral cyanosis and is not considered to be pathological.