Relapsing Pityriasis Rosea With HHV-7 Reactivation in an 11-Year-Old Girl.

Pityriasis rosea (PR) usually presents as acute exanthema with oval erythematous-squamous lesions localized on the trunk, arms, and legs with spontaneous remission. We present an unusual case of PR with frequent relapses during a period of 7 years. An 11-year-old white female patient presented with many pruritic erythematous oval lesions on her trunk. A second episode followed 2 years later with several pruritic erythematous lesions on her lower limbs. During the following 5 years, the patient had several relapses per year, with 1 to 3 lesions on changing localizations. PR was diagnosed on the basis of the clinical presentation and detection of human herpesvirus 7 DNA. Spontaneous remission occurred without treatment in each episode. Relapsing PR is a rare form of PR characterized by a lower number of lesions and smaller sized lesions compared with the classic form of PR. Pediatricians should consider the diagnosis of relapsing PR even if only a single or few erythematous lesions are present.

What is the news? A difference between men and women.

It is a common observation that women and men react differently to stress and illness. We questioned 63 consecutive patients with pityriasis rosea and found that the women were overwhelmingly more likely than men to ask to hear unpleasant information before positive information.

Pitiriasis rosada de Gibert: un nuevo enfoque sobre su etiopatogenia / Pink Pitiriasis of Gibert: a new approach on his etiopatogenia

La etiopatogenia de la pitiriasis rosada de Gibert típica (PRG) todavía no está aclarada. Los últimos trabajos sugieren la posibilidad de una etiología viral.Sin embargo hasta el presente no se ha podido demostrar fehacientemente, lo cual genera controversias al respecto. ( Fuente: Medline Database). En el presente trabajo se estudiaron en forma retrospectiva historias clínicas de enfermos con PRG en los cuáles se había efectuado una exhaustiva anamnesis y se comprobó la existencia de un shock psíquico una o dos semanas antes de la aparición de la placa madre y luego el desarrollo de la afección cutánea. Podemos relacionar que en enfermos con cuadros de angustia y emocionalmente predispuestos, un shock psíquico desarrollaría la PRG, por lo tanto podemos interpretar que es una enfermedad psicosomática. La importancia de considerar que la PRG es una enfermedad psicosomática radica en que no sólo se cura una dermatosis que es autoresolutiva sino que se brinda ayuda a pacientes que necesitan una terapeútica más integral de lo que incluso ellos mismos pueden suponer.

Effect on quality of life in patients with pityriasis rosea: is it associated with rash severity?

BACKGROUND: It is unknown how the quality of life (QOL) is affected in patients with pityriasis rosea (PR), and whether it is related to rash severity. METHODS: We constructed a valid and reliable Cantonese version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). We recruited patients with PR, with atopic dermatitis and with acne vulgaris, and controls of the same sex and comparable age. We applied the DLQI and the Pityriasis Rosea Severity Score (PRSS) to the patients with PR, the DLQI and the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis Index (SCORAD) to the controls with atopic dermatitis, and the DLQI and the Leeds Acne Grading System (LAGS) to the controls with acne vulgaris. RESULTS: Total DLQI scores of the 22 patients with PR (mean: 6.36, SD: 5.79) were significantly lower than those of the 22 controls with atopic dermatitis (mean: 12.00, SD: 5.38) (P = 0.021), but were insignificantly different from those of the 22 controls with acne vulgaris (mean: 6.86, SD: 4.53) (P = 0.57). Correlation between the total DLQI and PRSS scores was weak (gamma(s) = +0.19) and insignificant (P = 0.40). All six DLQI parameters were insignificantly correlated with the PRSS scores. In contrast, the total DLQI scores and most of the DLQI parameters were strongly correlated with the rash severity scores for the control subjects. Significantly more patients with PR have concerns regarding disease etiology and infectivity. CONCLUSIONS: The QOL of the patients with PR was significantly less affected than that for the patients with atopic dermatitis, but was insignificantly different from the patients with acne vulgaris. Unlike atopic dermatitis and acne vulgaris, the effects on the QOL in PR are insignificantly correlated with rash severity. These results bear important implications on clinical management.

Quality of life in children with pityriasis rosea: a prospective case control study.

Our aim was to investigate the effects on quality of life of pityriasis rosea (PR) in children and the concerns of their parents. We recruited all children ages 5-16 years with a diagnosis of PR in a primary care setting over a period of 30 months. Controls were the next child of the same sex and comparable age consulting for atopic dermatitis or for conditions unrelated to the skin. Information on parental concerns was also gathered. Ten children with PR and 20 control subjects were recruited. Total Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) scores of children with PR (mean 3.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.66-4.34) were significantly lower than those of children with atopic dermatitis (mean 7.70; 95% CI 5.59-9.81). Children with PR had significantly lower scores for symptoms and feelings, personal relationships, and sleep. Total CDLQI scores of children with PR were significantly higher than those of children with no active skin problem (mean 0.30; 95% CI -0.18 to 0.78). Significantly more parents of children with PR had concerns regarding the etiology, infectivity, relapse, and complications or dangers of the disease. We concluded that quality of life (QOL) of children with PR is significantly less affected than that of children with atopic dermatitis and significantly more affected than in children with no active skin problem. The major concerns of parents of children with PR are the etiology, infectivity, relapse, and complications or dangers. These results have important implications on whether active intervention is worthwhile for this disease.