Dermatosis perforantes: presentación de 8 casos / Perforating dermatosis: report of 8 cases

Las dermatosis perforantes (DP) o enfermedades por eliminación transepidérmica son un grupo de entidades caracterizadas por la extrusión de material dérmico alterado a través de la epidermis que incluye a la colagenosis perforante reactiva, la elastolisis perforante serpiginosa, la foliculitis perforante y la enfermedad de Kyrle. Se caracterizan por la aparición de pápulo-nódulos centrados por tapones o costras queratósicas, pruriginosos. Entre las opciones terapéuticas se describen los antihistamínicos, fototerapia y corticoides intralesionales, con resultados variables. Objetivos. Describir 8 casos de dermatosis perforante diagnosticados en nuestro servicio. Materiales y Métodos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo, observacional y descriptivo que evaluó las características clínicas, histológicas y la asociación con patología sistémica de los pacientes con diagnóstico histológico de dermatosis perforante que concurrieron a nuestro servicio entre septiembre de 2006 y julio de 2010.Resultados. Se diagnosticaron 8 pacientes con dermatosis perforante. Del total, 5 (62,5%) fueron hombres y 3 mujeres (37,5%). La edad media de presentación fue de 57,12 años (37-71 años); 6 (75%) correspondían a enfermedad de Kyrle y 2 (25%) a foliculitis perforante; 6 (75%) se asociaban a insuficiencia renal crónica, 6 (75%) a diabetes mellitus, 1 (12,5%) a insuficiencia renal aguda y 6 (75%) a enfermedad cardiovascular. Conclusiones. Si bien la mayoría de nuestros pacientes tenían antecedentes de diabetes y/o insuficiencia renal crónica como se describe en la literatura, cabe destacar que en uno de ellos no se encontró ninguna de estas asociaciones. Adicionalmente, el 75% de los pacientes tenía antecedentes de enfermedad cardiovascular. Encontramos una mayor incidencia en hombres (62,5%) a diferencia de lo reportado en algunos trabajos (AU)

Perforating dermatosis (DP) comprises a group of diseases characterized by the extrusion of dermic debris through the epidermis. It includes reactive perforating collagenosis, perforating folliculitis, elastosis perforans serpiginosa and Kyrle's disease. It presents as multiple pruritic papulo nodules centered by a keratotic plug. Antihistamines, phototherapy and intralesional steroids are among the therapeutic options described, with variable results. Objectives. To describe 8 cases of perforating dermatosis diagnosed in our department. Materials and Methods. We conducted a retrospective, observational and descriptive study evaluating clinical and histological features and association with systemic disease, of the patients with a biopsy confirmed, perforating dermatosis between September 2006 and July 2010. Results. Eight patients with perforating dermatosis were diagnosed. Of them, 5 (62,5%) were male and 3 female (37,5%). Mean age of presentation was 57,12 years (37-71 years); 6 (75%) corresponded to Kyrle's disease and 2 (25%) to perforating folliculitis; 6 (75%) were associated with chronic renal insufficiency, 6 (75%) with diabetes mellitus, 1 (12,5%) with acute renal insufficiency and 6 (75%) with cardiovascular disease. Conclusions. Although most of our patients had a history of chronic renal insufficiency or diabetes, as described in the literature, in one of them no associated disease was found. Furthermore, 75% of the patients presented with cardiovascular disease. Unlike previous reports, we found agreater incidence in men (62,5%) over women (AU)

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis: a comprehensive review of treatment options.

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF), also known as Ofuji disease, is a disease that manifests with follicular papules or pustules. Its variants include a classic type that occurs most commonly in Japan, an HIV-associated type, an infantile type, a type that occurs on the palms and soles, a rare medication-associated variant, and a rare neoplasia-associated variant.A wide range of medications has been used to treat EPF. Topical corticosteroids are the first-line treatment option for EPF. Topical tacrolimus seems to be useful initial therapy as well. Oral indometacin (50-75 mg/day) is an effective treatment of classic EPF although it can induce peptic ulcers. For treatment of HIV-associated EPF when topical corticosteroids and indometacin do not work, various other treatments should be considered. These treatment options include cetirizine 20-40 mg/day, metronidazole 250 mg three times a day, itraconazole starting at a dosage of 200 mg/day and increasing to 300-400 mg/day, and topical permethrin. If these treatments do not work phototherapy with UVB is the 'gold standard' of treatment and is often curative. Treatments with less certain risk-benefit ratios but with some efficacy include PUVA (psoralen + UVA) photochemotherapy, oral corticosteroids, synthetic retinoids (i.e. isotretinoin 1 mg/kg/day), and acitretin (0.5 mg/kg/day), oral cyclosporine (ciclosporine) 5 mg/kg/day, interferon (IFN)-alpha-2b, and IFNgamma. Minocycline 100mg twice daily and dapsone 50-100mg twice daily have been used with some effect. The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy for HIV has resulted in the amelioration of EPF as CD4 cell counts rise above 250/mm(3). The diversity of clinical presentations and affected populations make it seem that EPF is a reaction pattern as much as a disease and that therapy should be tailored to the variant of EPF and the underlying etiology.

Oncotaxia inflamatoria en lesiones de foliculitis de un paciente con leucemia mieloide aguda / Inflammatory oncotaxis in folliculitis lesions of a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia

Un varón de 68 años diagnosticado de leucemia aguda mieloide presentó lesiones cutáneas de foliculitis. Histológicamente se encontró una foliculitis neutrofílica junto con células blásticas perifoliculares. Las lesiones cutáneas desaparecieron tras un tratamiento antibiótico, mientras que la leucemia empeoraba pese al tratamiento quimioterápico (AU)

HIV-positive patients differ from HIV-negative patients in indications for and type of UV therapy used.

BACKGROUND: Treatments using UV, UVB, or oral psoralen and UVA (PUVA) have been advocated for the care of HIV-infected persons with skin diseases. Concerns about the safety of these treatments exist. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to determine the characteristics of HIV infected persons receiving UV therapy and establish the reasons for and type of treatment administered. METHODS: During two 2-week periods, we prospectively ascertained basic information on all patients treated at 40 phototherapy clinics and detailed clinical information on patients known to be infected with HIV. RESULTS: We identified 3716 persons receiving UV therapy, including 311 known to be infected with HIV. When compared with patients not known to be infected with HIV, HIV-positive patients were significantly more likely to be treated with UVB rather than PUVA and were more likely to be treated for pruritic conditions rather than psoriasis. CONCLUSION: There were great variations in the relative reliance on UVB and PUVA among centers. There appears to be no agreement as to which type of UV therapy is optimal for patients infected with HIV. Most patients known to the treating clinician to be HIV positive are in the advanced stages of HIV disease. The number of persons with less advanced HIV disease receiving treatment remains unquantified but may be even more clinically important.

HIV-associated eosinophilic pustular folliculitis: successful treatment of a Japanese patient with UVB phototherapy.

We report the successful treatment with ultraviolet B phototherapy of a patient with HIV-associated eosinophilic pustular folliculitis. We were able to observe the clinical and therapeutic course for about one year and three months. This 35-year-old homosexual Japanese man presented with disseminated, discrete, follicular, erythematous papules with intense pruritus over his face, neck, chest wall, and upper back. Initially, the eruption responded to therapy with topical or oral indomethacin and oral H1 antihistamine. However, the eruption was highly prone to recurrence, and it gradually failed to respond to these therapies. The eruption became chronic and persistent and manifested the excoriated, prurigo-like nodules that are typical of reported pruritic papular eruption, suggesting that this skin disease and HIV-associated eosinophilic pustular folliculitis are two forms of the same disease entity. UVB phototherapy in small doses was very effective for the persistent eruption, and no recurrence of the eruption was noted during or since the six-month maintenance therapy (once a week at a dose equivalent to 0.75 of the minimal erythema dose) (9 months total). No unfavorable side effects have been observed during or after the UVB phototherapy (cumulative UVB doses of 2,320 mJ/cm2).

UVB phototherapy is an effective treatment for pruritus in patients infected with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus in patients positive for HIV may be debilitating. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of UVB therapy in the treatment of pruritus in patients positive for HIV. METHODS: Twenty-one male HIV-positive patients with intractable pruritus (14 with eosinophilic folliculitis and 7 with primary pruritus) were treated three times weekly with UVB phototherapy. Pruritus was quantified with use of a subjective score of 0 (none) to 10 (severe). RESULTS: Mean CD4 counts at the initiation of therapy were 91.0 +/- 31.9 cells/microliter. Pruritus scores before and after treatment were 8.6 +/- 0.4 and 2.2 +/- 0.5, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean number of treatments to achieve maximal improvement was 20.7 +/- 2.3, with a cumulative UVB dose of 3399.1 +/- 597.4 mJ/cm2. No significant difference was found between the group with eosinophilic folliculitis and the group with primary pruritus. CONCLUSION: UVB phototherapy can produce significant relief of pruritus and improvement in the quality of life in patients positive for HIV.

[Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Report of 6 cases]. / Foliculitis pustulosa eosinofílica en el síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida. Presentación de seis casos.

Eosinophilic pustulous foliculitis (EPF) is a rare dermatosis which has been reported in association with the human immunodeficiency virus infection. Six patients infected with HIV are reported with advanced disease in whom the diagnosis of EPF was made. All patients has a highly pruritic follicular papular rash. In all cases the pathology study revealed a mixed inflammatory infiltrate with predominance of eosinophils at the infundibulum of the pilous folliculi. Two patients had eosinophilia in peripheral blood. Therapy with antihistaminic agents and topical corticosteroids was ineffective in all cases. A favourable therapeutic response was achieved with phototherapy associated with the topic application of disodium cromoglycate 4%.