Eosinophilic fasciitis during pregnancy: case report and review of literature.

The authors describe the case of a 23-year-old woman who was referred to the rheumatologist due to symmetrical and progressive stiffness, induration, and swelling of arms and thighs at the 12th week of her first gestation. The characteristic clinical aspect of 'peau d'orange', associated to the histopathologic results of the deep biopsy of the skin confirmed the diagnosis of eosinophilic fasciitis. Treatment with oral prednisone, at an initial dose of 1 mg/kg/day, was effective and rapidly tapered to 10 mg/day till the birth of a healthy newborn. A literature review showed only one previous description of pregnancy and eosinophilic fasciitis.

Nail Apparatus Melanoma: Experience of 10 Years in a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: Nail apparatus melanoma (NAM) is rare. The higher mortality reported in the literature is most likely due to advanced disease associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE: All patients diagnosed with NAM were followed at a single reference center during a period of 10 years, with emphasis on dermatological and histological findings. Clinical outcomes were included. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records, photographs, and histopathological examination. RESULTS: 73.7% of the patients were female and their mean age was 47 years. Caucasian and African-American patients had a similar incidence (47.4%). There was only 1 Asian patient in this study (5.3%). All patients presented with nail plate pigmentation. The mean prediagnosis duration was 33 months. A total of 63.2% patients had in situ melanoma and an average Breslow index of 2.18 mm in invasive cases. Fifteen patients underwent conservative surgery and 3 underwent phalanx amputation. All patients survived, and 4 have had more than a 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: In situ lesions showed longitudinal bands or total melanonychia with no nail dystrophy. Invasive cases presented with dystrophic lesions (longitudinal splitting of the nail). Conservative surgery provides a good option without worsening the prognosis. All dermatologists should be aware of early signs of NAM, since prognosis depends on early treatment.

Hair Breakage in Patients of African Descent: Role of Dermoscopy.

Dermoscopy represents a useful technique for the diagnosis and follow-up of hair and scalp disorders. To date, little has been published regarding dermoscopy findings of hair disorders in patients of African descent. This article illustrates how dermoscopy allows fast diagnosis of hair breakage due to intrinsic factors and chemical damage in African descent patients.

Amantadine-induced livedo reticularis--Case report.

Livedo reticularis is a spastic-anatomical condition of the small vessels which translates morphologically by a reticular pattern, interspersing cyanosis, pallor and erythema. The same can be congenital or acquired. Among the acquired, we highlight the physiological livedo reticularis and the idiopathic livedo by vasospasm; the latter configures the most common cause. The drug-induced type is less common. The drugs amantadine and norepinephrine are often implicated. Cyanosis is usually reversible if the causative factor is removed, however, with chronicity, the vessels may become permanently dilated and telangiectatic. We report a case of a patient diagnosed with Parkinson's disease with chronic livedo reticularis associated with the use of amantadine and improvement after discontinuation of the drug.

Dermatoscopic findings as a complementary tool in the differential diagnosis of the etiological agent of tinea capitis.

Tinea capitis is a scalp infection caused by fungi. In Brazil, the main causative agents are Microsporum canis and the Trichophyton tonsurans. Etiological diagnosis is based on suggestive clinical findings and confirmation depends on the fungus growth in culture. However, it is not always possible to perform this test due to lack of availability. We reveal the dermoscopic findings that enable distinction between the main causative agents of Tinea capitis, M. canis and T. tonsurans. The association of clinical and dermatoscopic findings in suspected Tinea capitis cases may help with the differential diagnosis of the etiological agent, making feasible the precocious, specific treatment.

Dapsone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris: adverse effects and its importance as a corticosteroid sparing agent.

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disease characterized by suprabasal blisters with acantholysis, which has a fatal course in a large number of untreated patients. Systemic corticosteroid therapy is considered first-line therapy. Adjuvant treatment with the goal of sparing corticosteroids include, among others, dapsone. This drug is not without side effects and its use requires clinical and laboratory control. We present a patient with PV initially managed with suboptimal dose of prednisone, evolving into drug-induced hepatitis after introduction of dapsone.

Anti-TNF-α and hydralazine drug-induced lupus.

Drug-induced lupus is a rare drug reaction featuring the same symptoms as idiopathic lupus erythematosus. Recently, with the introduction of new medicines in clinical practice, an increase in the number of illness-triggering implicated drugs has been reported, with special emphasis on anti-TNF-α drugs. In the up-to-date list, almost one hundred medications have been associated with the occurrence of drug-induced lupus. The authors present two case reports of the illness induced respectively by hydralazine and infliximab, addressing the clinical and laboratorial characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment.

Bed bug dermatitis, description of two cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Bed bugs are hematophagous insects which due to their morphological and biological characteristics are able to easily adapt themselves to human households. The authors describe two cases of dermatitis caused by bed bug bites in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients presented linear lesions in the usual "breakfast, lunch and dinner" arrangement, suggesting this diagnosis. A visit to their dwellings showed infestation of insects identified as Cimex hemipterus. The knowledge of these insects by the dermatological community will contribute to an accurate diagnosis as well as subsidize the dissemination of information aiming for prevention.

History of leprosy in Rio de Janeiro.

The record of the first cases of leprosy in Rio de Janeiro dates from the seventeenth century. The first local host of leprosy patients was created from 1741, and the first colonies hospitals were built in the early twentieth century, in order to avoid contagion of the population. The first structures dedicated to research also date from this time: the Leprosy International Institute, the Leprology Institute, and the Leprosy Laboratory of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, where the most prestigious leprologists of Rio de Janeiro worked. Currently, investigations are focused on the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation; additionally, leprosy patients are treated at municipal health centers and state hospitals, and former colony hospitals only accept patients with severe disabilities.

Update on cutaneous tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis continues to draw special attention from health care professionals and society in general. Cutaneous tuberculosis is an infection caused by M. tuberculosis complex, M. bovis and bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Depending on individual immunity, environmental factors and the type of inoculum, it may present varied clinical and evolutionary aspects. Patients with HIV and those using immunobiological drugs are more prone to infection, which is a great concern in centers where the disease is considered endemic. This paper aims to review the current situation of cutaneous tuberculosis in light of this new scenario, highlighting the emergence of new and more specific methods of diagnosis, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate the parasite-host interaction.

Confluent and reticulate papillomatosis of Gougerot-Carteaud and obesity: dermoscopic findings.

Confluent and reticulated papillomatosis of Gougerot and Carteaud is a dermatosis that despite showing characteristic clinical signs is often poorly recognized and diagnosed. The authors present a case with extensive skin involvement, discuss its association with obesity and describe dermoscopic findings making the histopathological correlation.

Dermoscopy applied to pediculosis corporis diagnosis.

We report the case of a 47-year-old homeless male with a massive infestation of Pediculus humanus corporis on his entire body. Dermoscopy helped to diagnose pediculosis by showing the involvement of scalp, beard and the genital region in this disease.

Dermoscopy as an auxiliary method in the diagnosis of social wasp (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) stings.

We describe the case of a 32-year-old male patient that sought medical treatment complaining of severe pain in his second and third right-hand fingers. The symptoms had started two hours before. The hypotheses of spider bite, scorpion or insect sting and injury caused by a foreign body were considered in the differential diagnoses. On dermoscopy, two foreign bodies were identified on his skin. After extraction, we concluded that they were wasp stingers.

Erupção medicamentosa fixa na face associada a dipirona: correlação dos achados clínicos, histopatológicos e dermatoscópicos / Fixed drug eruption on the face associated with dipyrone: correlation of clinical, histopathological and dermatoscopic findings

As reações adversas associadas aos fármacos com manifestações cutâneas não são raras, expressando-se com múltiplos aspectos clínicos, podendo gerar morbidade significativa. A erupção medicamentosa fixa é uma reação adversa comum, com envolvimento cutâneo, associada ao uso de inúmeros medicamentos. A dipirona é fármaco com efeitos analgésicos e antitérmicos amplamente utilizada no Brasil, porém, sabe-se que é uma substância potencialmente desencadeadora de reações adversas, e a erupção medicamentosa fixa entre elas. Relata-se um caso de erupção medicamentosa fixa relacionada ao uso da dipirona, com apresentação clínica singular e correlacionam-se os achados clínicos, histopatológicos e dermatoscópicos encontrados.

Adverse reactions associated with drugs presenting cutaneous manifestations are among the most common, expressing itself with multiple clinical aspects and causing significant morbidity. The fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a common adverse reaction with cutaneous involvement and is associated with the use of numerous drugs. Dipyrone is a drug with analgesic and antipyretic effects prescribed widely used in Brazil, however, it is known for its potential to triggering adverse reactions, including the FDE. This report shows an EMF case related to the use of dipyrone, with unique clinical presentation and correlate the clinical, histopathological and dermatoscopic found.

Dermatoscopic fi ndings as a complementary tool in the differential diagnosis of the etiological agent of tinea capitis

Tinea capitis is a scalp infection caused by fungi. In Brazil, the main causative agents are Microsporum canis and the Trichophyton tonsurans. Etiological diagnosis is based on suggestive clinical findings and confirmation depends on the fungus growth in culture. However, it is not always possible to perform this test due to lack of availability. We reveal the dermoscopic findings that enable distinction between the main causative agents of Tinea capitis, M. canis and T. tonsurans. The association of clinical and dermatoscopic findings in suspected Tinea capitis cases may help with the differential diagnosis of the etiological agent, making feasible the precocious, specific treatment.

Dapsone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris: adverse effects and its importance as a corticosteroid sparing agent

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disease characterized by suprabasal blisters with acantholysis, which has a fatal course in a large number of untreated patients. Systemic corticosteroid therapy is considered first-line therapy. Adjuvant treatment with the goal of sparing corticosteroids include, among others, dapsone. This drug is not without side effects and its use requires clinical and laboratory control. We present a patient with PV initially managed with suboptimal dose of prednisone, evolving into drug-induced hepatitis after introduction of dapsone.

Amantadine-induced livedo reticularis - Case report

AbstractLivedo reticularis is a spastic-anatomical condition of the small vessels which translates morphologically by a reticular pattern, interspersing cyanosis, pallor and erythema. The same can be congenital or acquired. Among the acquired, we highlight the physiological livedo reticularis and the idiopathic livedo by vasospasm; the latter configures the most common cause. The drug-induced type is less common. The drugs amantadine and norepinephrine are often implicated. Cyanosis is usually reversible if the causative factor is removed, however, with chronicity, the vessels may become permanently dilated and telangiectatic. We report a case of a patient diagnosed with Parkinson's disease with chronic livedo reticularis associated with the use of amantadine and improvement after discontinuation of the drug.

Bed bug dermatitis, description of two cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Bed bugs are hematophagous insects which due to their morphological and biological characteristics are able to easily adapt themselves to human households. The authors describe two cases of dermatitis caused by bed bug bites in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients presented linear lesions in the usual "breakfast, lunch and dinner" arrangement, suggesting this diagnosis. A visit to their dwellings showed infestation of insects identified as Cimex hemipterus. The knowledge of these insects by the dermatological community will contribute to an accurate diagnosis as well as subsidize the dissemination of information aiming for prevention.