[Livedoid vasculopathy secondary to coeliac disease]. / Vasculopathie livédoïde secondaire à une maladie cœliaque.

BACKGROUND: Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a painful ulcerative condition involving white atrophy and livedo; a histopathologic feature seen is occlusive dermal vasculopathy. This may be associated with coagulation disorders such as hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the case of a 52-year-old woman presenting LV in which an abnormal scan image led us to diagnose coeliac disease. This enteropathy had caused vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency, as well as HHC. Vitamin supplementation and a gluten-free diet resulted in complete healing of the lesions. DISCUSSION: This case underlines the importance of screening for and correction of coagulation disorders in patients with LV. It also suggests that in the event of HHC, coeliac disease should be sought, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms.

[Recurrent toxin-mediated perineal erythema in an 11-year-old child]. / Érythème périnéal récidivant toxinique chez un enfant de 11 ans.

INTRODUCTION: Recurrent perineal erythema is a rare toxin-mediated disease. We report the case of recurrent toxin-mediated perineal erythema in a child. CASE REPORT: An 11-year-old boy was hospitalized for erythematous pustular eruption involving the perineum and the axillary area. This erythema started a few days after the onset of pharyngotonsillitis and the patient's personal history involved another episode of pharyngotonsillitis which was followed by an identical cutaneous eruption. Laboratory analysis confirmed the diagnosis of recurrent toxin-mediated perineal erythema. The skin disorder quickly improved and antistreptococcal antibiotic treatment was initiated to eradicate bacteria. DISCUSSION: Recurrent toxin-mediated perineal erythema is a cutaneous disease mediated by superantigens which are toxins produced by staphylococci and streptococci. It is characterized by recurrent macular erythema involving the perineum. Streptococcus pyogenes is the most common cause of recurrent toxin-mediated perineal erythema, with Staphylococcus aureus being isolated most rarely. This observation emphasizes the possibility of atypical clinical presentation with pustular lesions, and dermatologists must be mindful of this aetiology in order to isolate bacterial toxins and to initiate appropriate antibiotics.

[Lyme disease could mimic dermatomyositis]. / Borreliose de Lyme mimant une dermatomyosite.

UNLABELLED: We report a dermatomyositis associated with Lyme disease. OBSERVATION: A 73-years-old woman has developed for 5 months an asthenia, a periorbital oedema and a forearm's skin infiltration without other signs suggesting of dermatomyositis. Laboratory studies showed an elevation of muscular enzymes, and inflammation signs. The skin and the muscles biopsies were compatible with the diagnostic of dermatomyositis. The patient was seropositive for Lyme disease. The patient was efficiently treated with doxycycline. DISCUSSION: Lyme disease could mimic a dermatomyositis. Indeed, Lyme disease should be considered as a differential diagnosis of dermatomyositis.

Recurrent dysphonia and acitretin.

We report the case of a woman complaining of dysphonia while she was treated by acitretin. Her symptoms totally regressed after drug withdrawal and reappeared when acitretin was reintroduced. To our knowledge, this is the first case of acitretin-induced dysphonia. This effect may be related to the pharmacological effect of this drug on mucous membranes.

[Nail abnormalities and scleroderma-like lesions on the face associated with systemic amyloidosis]. / Atteinte unguéale et infiltration sclérodermiforme du visage au cours d'une amylose systémique.

INTRODUCTION: Mucocutaneous involvement in systemic amyloidosis occurs in 29 to 40 p. 100 of cases. Nail abnormalities are infrequent in AL amyloidosis. We report an original case of AL amyloidosis associated with cutaneous and integument alterations and scleroderma-like infiltration of the face. CASE REPORT: A 73 year-old woman was hospitalized because of weight loss and asthenia. She had been treated 4 years earlier with chemotherapy for a IgG-type multiple myeloma with complete resolution of the underlying monoclonal gammapathy. Cutaneous examination showed nail dystrophy of all fingernails associated with scleroderma-like skin changes on the chin and lips. Histopathologic study of a chin biopsy confirmed the presence of amyloid deposits in the dermis. Laboratory data were normal, without signs of recurrence of multiple myeloma. DISCUSSION: We report an original case of a patient who developed two unusual cutaneous manifestations associated with AL amyloidosis. Moreover, there was no correlation between the severity of the cutaneous lesions and the extent of the underlying hematological disease.

[Anatomopathological aspects of colorectal polyps in Cameroon]. / Aspects anatomopathologiques des polypes colorectaux au Cameroun.

In order to present the main types of colo-rectal polyps in Cameroon, we reviewed all those cases received and examined in our Pathology laboratories during a six and a half year period (1st January 1984-30th June 1990). The polyps were sent by gastro-enterologists after resection during total colonoscopy, with information about age and sex of patients, signs and symptoms and sites and number of polyps. One hundred and two colorectal polyps were taken from 88 patients with a maximum of two polyps per patient. Out of these 102 polyps, we noted: 55 juvenile polyps (54%), 23 hyperplastic polyps (22.5%), 13 adenomatous polyps (12.5%), 10 inflammatory polyps (10%) and one polyp of the Peutz-Jeghers type. One case of hyperplastic polyposis and one of familial polyposis with adenomas on histological examination were registered. On the whole, juvenile polyps predominated and adenomas which can become carcinomas were less frequent than what is seen in Western developed countries. This may be due to the fact that the polyps we examined were only taken only from patients seen in outpatient department for gastrointestinal complaints.