Tongue psoriasis: Clinical aspects and analysis of epidemiological associations in 313 children, with a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on the prevalence and clinical aspects of tongue involvement in children with psoriasis. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence, clinical aspects and risk factors concerning tongue involvement in children with psoriasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was carried out in two stages. We performed a multicentre, cross-sectional study in 23 French dermatology centers. All children seen for psoriasis during the one-year study were systematically included. The clinical features of the tongue and of psoriasis were recorded. Association with clinical aspects of psoriasis and comorbidities was evaluated. We then carried out a literature review to evaluate the prevalence of tongue involvement in children with psoriasis and its positive predictive value for psoriasis. A search was conducted in the PUBMED database using the following keywords: "child" and "psoriasis" and ("tongue" or "glossitis" or "migratory glossitis" or "benign migratory glossitis" or "geographic tongue" or "fissured tongue"). RESULTS: 7.7% of the 313 children with psoriasis had tongue involvement. The clinical aspects were geographic tongue (4.2%), fissured tongue (2.8%) and both (0.64%). There was no association between tongue involvement and the clinical characteristics of the children. Two hundred and ninety-five articles were referenced and 3 were analysed. Psoriasis is very rare in cases of tongue abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of tongue involvement was 7.7% in children with psoriasis. No clinical or epidemiological association was shown. Tongue involvement does not modify the management of psoriasis. In the literature review it was not possible to evaluate either the prevalence of tongue involvement in psoriasis or the positive predictive value thereof.

[Impact of sex and age on the clinical and epidemiological aspects of childhood psoriasis: Data from a French cross-sectional multicentre study]. / Impact de l'âge et du sexe sur les aspects cliniques et épidémiologiques du psoriasis de l'enfant. Données d'une étude transversale multicentrique française.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of childhood psoriasis is estimated at between 0.4% and 0.7%. Clinical aspects of the diseases depend on age. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical aspects of psoriasis according to age and sex. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, multicentre study of children with psoriasis was performed by investigators belonging to the Research Group of the French Society of Paediatric Dermatology. The study was conducted from April 2012 to March 2013. Inclusion criteria were age less than 18 years and clinical diagnosis of psoriasis. The children were classified into 3 groups by age: infants: <2 years; children: ≥2 years and <13 years; adolescents≥13 years. The information collected included demographic data, clinical, epidemiological, and therapeutic aspects of the psoriasis, as well as analysis of comorbidities. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirteen children were included: 27 (8.6%) infants, 207 (66.1%) children, and 79 (25.2%) adolescents. Plaque psoriasis was the most frequent clinical type of psoriasis seen in children and adolescents (>41%), but it accounted for only 25.9% of psoriasis of infants (P<0.0001). Napkin psoriasis (37.0%) and inverse psoriasis (22.2%) were the most common forms of psoriasis seen in infants and were described significantly more frequently in this group than in the two other groups (P<0.003). Nail involvement was more common in adolescents (37.2%, P=0.03) and children (32.9%) than in infants (14.8%) and affected boys more than girls (43.6% vs 22.0%, P<0.0001). Girls presented scalp psoriasis more frequently (17.7% vs 8.7%, P=0.02). Local vitamin-D treatment and systemic therapies were used more frequently in children and adolescents than in infants. There was no significant difference for treatment use, including for acitretin, according to gender. DISCUSSION: Plaque psoriasis was the most common clinical type of psoriasis in children but affected less than 50% of the children. Age had a significant impact on extra-cutaneous skin disorders and on treatment used, while sex had little incidence. The frequency of comorbidities was not affected by age. CONCLUSION: Childhood psoriasis thus presents specific characteristics dependent on the age of the child. The results of studies exclusively dealing with adults cannot be extrapolated to children.

[Generalized exanthematous pustular dermatophytid, a rare clinical presentation of dermatophytid reaction]. / La dermatophytide exanthématique et pustuleuse généralisée (DEPG), une présentation clinique rare de dermatophytide.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytids are immunologically mediated dermatologic presentations secondary to sensitization to a dermatophyte infection. They are most frequently associated with toe-web intertrigo and usually present as localized, palmar, pruriginous vesicular eruptions. We report three original cases of generalized exanthematous pustular dermatophytid associated with kerions. PATIENTS: Two boys aged 11 and 6 years, and one girl aged 6 years initially presented with kerion secondary to Trichophyton tonsurans (case 1), Trichophyton soudanense (case 2) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (case 3), respectively. Two to three days after initiation of griseofulvin treatment, all patients presented with a pustular eruption extending from the head to the trunk, associated in one case with fever of 39°C and inflammatory chondritis. Samples obtained from the pustular lesions were sterile, serum inflammatory markers were within the normal range and skin lesions resolved on oral corticosteroid treatment (prednisone 0.75 mg/kg, case 1) or high-potency topical steroids (cases 2 and 3) given as an adjunct to griseofulvin treatment (19 to 23 mg/kg/d). DISCUSSION: Dermatophytids occur during the acute phase of infection or within a few days of treatment initiation. Lesions are remote from the infection site, contain no dermatophyte, and resolve after treatment of the infection. We report three original cases of generalized exanthematous pustular dermatophytid, associated in one case with fever and inflammatory chondritis. The main differential diagnosis is acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis secondary to antifungal drugs. Differences in clinical presentation between the two enable the appropriate diagnosis to be made as well as continued use of the antifungal medication needed to cure the patient. General or topical steroids may also be used in combination.

[Disseminated perinaevic Meyerson phenomenon revealing melanoma]. / Phénomène de Meyerson périnævique disséminé révélateur d'un mélanome.

BACKGROUND: Meyerson phenomenon (MP) consists of an eczematous reaction occurring around a pre-existing dermatologic lesion that is usually melanocytic and generally benign, and which is known as a Meyerson naevus. We report a case of multiple Meyerson naevi revealing melanoma, which itself was surrounded by a halo of eczema. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 55-year-old man of phototype III with atopic eczema presented for pruritic eczema present for a fortnight, found solely on and around the naevi on his trunk and at roots of his limbs. One of the melanocytic lesions affected by these Meyerson phenomena was clinically atypical and had been active for several years. Excision confirmed the diagnosis of level II extensive superficial melanoma measuring 0.75 mm in thickness and associated with lesional and perilesional eczematous remodelling. After surgery involving a 1-cm excision margin and local corticosteroid therapy of the eczema, the Meyerson phenomenon subsided with complete remission of the melanoma at 1 year. DISCUSSION: Meyerson phenomenon can affect one or more naevi at the same time; it is generally transient, may recur on occasion, and has a favourable outcome either spontaneously or with corticosteroid treatment. When not removed for histological verification, the melanocytic lesion regains its initial appearance following resolution of the phenomenon. MP differs from Sutton phenomenon (SP), which is a perinaevic vitiligo reaction leading to complete or partial regression of the melanocytic lesion, which may be either benign or malignant. CONCLUSION: This case of Meyerson phenomenon revealing melanoma shows that the melanocytic lesions targeted by MP are not necessarily benign.