[Treatment of angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) using topical tacrolimus: Two cases]. / Traitement de l'hyperplasie angiolymphoïde avec éosinophilie (HALE) par le tacrolimus topique : deux observations.

BACKGROUND: Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare disease, currently considered a benign vascular proliferation of unknown etiology, and whose treatment is still unclear and challenging. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two women in their thirties consulted for itchy lesions of the right ear. Both presented with a reddish bleeding papulonodular infiltration of the auricle, with a nodule at the entrance to the external auditory canal in the first patient. Laboratory tests showed no abnormalities and in particular no hypereosinophilia or elevated serum immunoglobulin E. In both cases, histology of lesional skin showed vascular proliferation with thick-walled vessels lined by plump endothelial cells, protruding into the lumen, together with a mixed dermal inflammatory infiltrate consisting primarily of eosinophils and lymphocytes. A diagnosis of ALHE was made in both patients based on clinical and histological features. MRA revealed no underlying vascular malformation in both cases. Patients started treatment with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice daily. The pruritic sensation and bleeding had completely subsided within two weeks and the reddish infiltration and nodules had practically disappeared after two months of topical tacrolimus. Continuous application resulted in no recurrence at 6 months of follow-up. DISCUSSION: Treatment of ALHE is still poorly standardized due to doubts concerning the pathophysiology of this rare condition and the small number of available studies. Topical tacrolimus was originally developed for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis because of its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Recent studies suggest that this drug may be effective in treating other forms of inflammatory dermatosis. Our two observations suggest that tacrolimus ointment also represents potentially valuable treatment in AHLE.

[Neutrophilic dermatoses]. / Les dermatoses neutrophiliques.

Neutrophilic dermatoses are inflammatory disorders where normal neutrophils infiltrate the skin without infection. Sweet's syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, subcorneal pustulosis, erythema elevatum diutinum and a few other conditions are included in the spectrum of neutrophilic dermatoses. In addition to their typical presentation, atypical and overlap forms of these disorders may be observed. According to the location of the neutrophilic infiltrate, three clinical forms are distinguished: superficial (epidermal), en plaques (dermal) and deep (dermal and hypodermal). During the disease course, other tissues can be affected by the same neutrophilic infiltrate. An association with other systemic diseases including malignant blood disorders, inflammatory bowel diseases and autoimmune disorders is frequent. The mechanisms leading to the invasion of the skin by neutrophils remains not completely elucidated. Treatment depends on the intensity and the acute or chronic form of the disease. In acute and severe forms, systemic corticosteroids are first-line therapy, whereas colchicine, dapsone, and even topical corticosteroids could be used in milder presentations of the disease.

Simultaneous occurrence of two rare cutaneous markers of poor prognosis in myelodysplastic syndrome: erythema elevatum diutinum and specific lesions.

We report the concomitant occurrence of erythema elevatum diutinum and specific skin lesions in a patient with a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This patient's course, and review of other reported cases, support the opinion that neutrophilic dermatoses are associated with a poor prognosis of MDS. The simultaneous appearance of these manifestations could be the consequence of a particular chemotactism of myeloid cells, expressed after acute transformation.