[Topical tacrolimus and resistant skin lesions of dermatomyositis]. / Tacrolimus topique et atteintes cutanées résistantes de la dermatomyosite.

INTRODUCTION: Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory myopathy associated with an increased risk of mortality due to visceral involvement. Cutaneous involvement has no vital impact but considerably affects the quality of life of the patients and can resist to classical therapies. More treatment options are needed. We report here the case of three patients presenting resistant cutaneous lesions of dermatomyositis successfully treated with topical tacrolimus. OBSERVATIONS: A dramatic cure of the lesions of the face and the hands and a moderate response of other areas were observed without adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive agent and topical tacrolimus is used for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and has been occasionally used to treat skin involvement of some systemic inflammatory diseases. Topical tacrolimus seems to be a good therapeutic alternative for resistant skin lesions of dermatomyositis. It could also be proposed as a first intention therapy because of its good tolerance.

[Systemic adverse reactions with ivermectin treatment of scabies]. / Effets secondaires de l'ivermectine utilisée dans le traitement de la gale.

BACKGROUND: Scabies is a common parasitic infestation and is very difficult to eradicate from institutions. Ivermectin is used extensively thanks to its efficacy and ease of use through oral administration; it was approved for the treatment of scabies in humans in 2001 in France. Most of the adverse effects noted with this drug have been seen during treatment of onchocerciasis and other filarial disease, but they are rare in the treatment of scabies. We report side effects with ivermectin in two elderly patients with scabies. CASES REPORT: A 72-year-old man was referred for scabies and was treated with benzyl benzoate (Ascabiol) and ivermectin (200 microg/kg) in a single dose. Two days later, the patient presented abdominal pain and nausea. Laboratory tests revealed cytolysis tests for other causes of hepatitis were negative. Within two weeks, liver function had returned to normal. Hepatitis due to ivermectin was diagnosed. An 86-year-old woman hospitalised for scabies was treated with benzyl benzoate and a single dose of ivermectin (200 microg/kg). She developed sinus tachycardia and asthma 3 days later. Screening for embolic, cardiac and infectious origins was found. Toxicity of ivermectin was suspected. DISCUSSION: Since the introduction of ivermectin for the treatment of scabies, reports of adverse events are rare although this drug can cause cardiac dysfunction and liver disease in other indications. In our cases, the causal relationship with ivermectin is probable and care must be taken, particularly in the elderly, the population in which this drug is probably most widely prescribed.

[Macroglobulinosis cutis revealing Waldenström macroglobulinemia]. / Une maladie de Waldenström révélée par une macroglobulinemia cutis.

Waldenström macroglobulinemia is defined by a bone marrow lymphoplasmacytic infiltration associated with serum IgM monoclonal gammopathy. Specific properties of the IgM gammopathy induce the main clinical manifestations revealing the disease: hyperviscosity syndrome, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy, cryoglobulinemia or hemolysis, and exceptional skin deposit such as macroglobulinosis cutis that we here report. Physicians should be aware of these clinical manifestations to avoid diagnostic delay.

Cannabis arteritis: a new case report and a review of literature.

Cannabis arteritis manifests in cannabis users, independently of tobacco consumption. Around 50 cases were reported in the literature since the first description of this entity in 1960. We report the case of a 36-year-old man, cannabis user, without vascular risk factor who developed digital necrosis on the right foot. The pedal pulses were not palpable. He had no abnormal laboratory findings. Arteriography revealed distal segmental lesions and occlusion of popliteal artery. This arteritis was linked to cannabis use, but the patient did not stop cannabis consumption. His symptoms became even worse and he eventually developed sub-acute ischaemia in his left leg despite vascular treatments. Amputation of the right second toe and of the left leg finally became necessary. Cannabis arteritis is relatively similar to thromboangiitis obliterans in its clinical and arteriographical presentation. A parallelism can be made between the role of tobacco in thromboangiitis obliterans pathogenesis and the role of cannabis in cannabis arteritis. Cannabis use must be searched in young patients presenting with arteriopathy. Cannabis arteritis may indeed represent a frequent cause of juvenile peripheral obstructive arterial disease, but is probably under-diagnosed.

Bier's white spots associated with scleroderma renal crisis.

Bier's spots are asymptomatic and permanent white macules, standing on a cyanotic background. These spots are associated with venous stasis and usually appear in physiological conditions. We report the case of a 47-year-old woman with a 2-year history of systemic scleroderma, who developed Bier's white spots associated with a vascular and renal crisis. Interestingly, these spots appeared with the crisis, and disappeared with the treatment and resolution of the crisis. They are probably a result of anatomical and functional damage to the small vessels of the skin. The pathophysiology in the skin is probably the same as that which happens in renal vessels during scleroderma renal crisis.