Case of acrodermatitis continua accompanied by psoriatic arthritis.

Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a rare chronic pustular eruption that predominantly involves the fingertips. The characterization of this disease has been confused. Some have considered it as a separate entity while others as a variant of pustular psoriasis. The presented patient simultaneously had ACH and joint lesions which were diagnosed as psoriatic arthritis. We believe that because ACH may be accompanied by psoriatic arthritis, as in this case, it could be evidence that it is a variant of psoriasis.

[Acral necroses after therapy with quinine sulfate for calf cramps]. / Akrale Nekrosen nach Therapie mit Chininsulfat wegen Wadenkrämpfen.

The most common cause of acral cyanosis is vascular spasm which can be induced by several drugs. An 87-year-old woman developed red and livid skin lesions on the fingers of both hands and several toes one month after beginning treatment with quinine sulfate 200 mg daily. The skin lesions progressed to necrosis in some areas. Quinine sulfate is a widely prescribed drug for nocturnal cramps. The following side effects may develop, particularly in the elderly: exanthems, pruritus, urticaria, erythema multiforme, purpura and photosensitivity. Our case points to the possibility of acral necrosis and demonstrates the efficacy of vasodilator treatment.

Joint and bone involvement in Dutch patients with Lyme borreliosis presenting with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans.

We report on the radiological abnormalities of bones and joints in Dutch patients suffering from Lyme borreliosis presenting with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (A.C.A.). In a highly endemic area of the Netherlands rheumatic complaints were mentioned by 26 out of 60 patients suffering from a late stage of Lyme disease. Radiological findings in our group of patients were subluxation of the toe joint and periostitis of the bones of the lower limb.

Technetium scanning in Kaposi's sarcoma and its simulators.

The clinical picture of ulcerated purple plaques on the legs often suggests several diagnoses: Kaposi's sarcoma, stasis dermatitis, atrophie blanche (livedoid vasculitis), and a poorly understood condition called acroangiodermatitis of Favre-Chaix (pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma). Even the skin biopsy may not always be conclusive. We describe our experience with three patients with pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma, one with "true" Kaposi's sarcoma and two with atrophie blanche. Clinical and histopathologic similarities among these three conditions pointed up the need for additional confirmatory studies, i.e., isotope scanning. The technetium scan was positive in both Kaposi's sarcoma and pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma but negative in atrophie blanche.