Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in the Setting of Transient Renal Insufficiency.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a rare disease that can present in patients with kidney injury who have been exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). These patients can easily be misdiagnosed as having another disease because they do not fit the usual presentation of being on hemodialysis. We report a case of NSF occurring in a patient with resolved transient renal insufficiency and no history of chronic renal disease.

Necrobiosis lipoidica with superimposed pyoderma vegetans.

Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is a granulomatous inflammatory skin disease strongly associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). Red-brown papules expanding into plaques with erythematous indurated borders on the lower extremities are characteristic of NL. Diagnosis is made clinically; however, biopsy of lesions confirms the diagnosis. Untreated NL may ulcerate and lead to further complications, but progression to superimposed pyoderma vegetans (PV) is not a known occurrence.

Lichen Planus With Predominate Plasma Cell Infiltrate: Two Case Reports.

Lichen planus (LP) is a mucocutaneous inflammatory dermatitis of idiopathic origin that can involve the skin, mucous membranes, hair, and nails. LP has an associated set of characteristic histopathologic findings which include hyperkeratosis, vacuolization of the basal layer, Civatte bodies, wedge-shaped hypergranulosis, band-like lymphocytic infiltrate at the dermal epidermal junction, eosinophilic colloid bodies in the papillary dermis, and pigment incontinence. The infiltrate is usually composed of lymphocytes with few histiocytes, mast cells, and macrophages. The presence of plasma cell predominant infiltrate in LP has only been reported in four previous cases and 2 other cases of lichen nitidus. The authors report another 2 cases of LP with predominate plasma cell infiltrate in 2 female patients on the legs. The differential includes a drug-induced lichenoid reaction with predominate plasma cell infiltrate. However, there have been no case reports of that type of reaction. Because plasma cells are seen commonly in certain infectious diseases, malignancy, and macroglobulinemia, it is prudent to rule out those entities. Our patients responded well with a class 1 topical steroid, with improvement of their lower leg lesions within 1 month of treatment.

Rosai-Dorfman disease with massive intracranial involvement: asymmetric response to conservative therapy.

Rosai-Dorfman Disease (RDD) is a rare, idiopathic lymphoproliferative disorder. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in this disorder is an uncommon manifestation. The clinical and radiographic appearance of CNS RDD is variable, and may mimic more common diseases. Treatment is controversial, and spontaneous remission is common. Positive outcomes have been reported with radiation therapy, or corticosteroid administration, or surgical excision. Our case is unusual in that the extracranial sites of involvement responded to corticosteroid therapy while the intracranial masses progressed.

Polyarteritis nodosa with bilateral asynchronous testicular necrosis: a case report.

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic vasculitis which may result in thrombosis or aneurysm formation in any organ of the body. We report a case polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) resulting in bilateral asynchronous testicular necrosis. A 55-year-old male developed acute onset of left testicular pain resulting in a left orchiectomy and right orchidopexy for an ischemic left testicle without evidence of torsion. Three weeks later, the patient developed acute right-sided scrotal pain, and surgical exploration revealed a right necrotic testicle resulting in a right orchiectomy. Pathologic evaluations demonstrated benign testes with acute interstitial hemorrhage and focal atrophy. The patient also experienced abdominal skin necrosis, penile pain and swelling, and temporary loss of vision. This is a unique case of PAN and the only case of asynchronous testicular necrosis in the medical literature.

Hydroxychloroquine-induced hyperpigmentation: the staining pattern.

We report two cases of hydroxychloroquine-induced hyperpigmentation presenting in a 50-year-old Caucasian female (case 1) and a 78-year-old female (case 2), both receiving 400 mg per day. Case 1 had an arthritis predominant undifferentiated connective tissue disease, which was treated with hydroxychloroquine for 4-5 years. She presented with a mottled, reticulated macular gray pigmentation involving the upper back and shoulders. Case 2 had a history of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, treated with hydroxychloroquine for 1.5 years. She presented to the hospital for treatment of constrictive cardiomyopathy and was noted to have a blue macular pigmentation involving the right temple. The biopsies from both patients showed superficial dermal, yellow-brown, non-refractile and coarsely granular pigment deposition. A Fontana-Masson stain highlighted some of these granules, while the Perl's iron stain was negative. Rare, previous reports of hyperpigmentation indicate the presence of both melanin and hemosiderin in patients being treated with antimalarial medication. To our knowledge, this staining pattern for hydroxychloroquine has not been previously reported in the literature and supports that hydroxychloroquine, in addition to chloroquine, binds to melanin.

Sorafenib-induced palmoplantar hyperkeratosis.

Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor used in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. As with single kinase inhibitors, cutaneous adverse events have been reported with sorafenib, specifically a hand-foot reaction complicated by hyperkeratosis. The authors highlight the case of a 51-year-old Caucasian woman treated for metastatic renal cell carcinoma who presented with well-defined tender erythematous callosities of the fingers and feet, following a dosage increase of sorafenib. A dose reduction decreased the symptoms, but the hyperkeratosis persisted. This adverse response may represent a novel event differing from traditional hand-foot syndrome.

Cutaneous metastatic chordoma with concomitant tuberous sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Chordomas are rare malignant tumors of notochord origin and are locally aggressive with a metastatic potential. Of noted interest, the skin rarely is seen as a metastatic site. METHODS AND OBSERVATIONS: We describe a 20-month-old infant whose primary presentation of a clivus-based chordoma was multiple asymptomatic cutaneous nodules. A skin biopsy showed large vacuolated cells embedded in a myxoid stroma. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for S-100, keratin, and epithelial membrane antigen markers consistent with malignant chordoma. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a clivus-based chordoma with scattered metastases within the neuraxis and multiple visceral sites. Further examination also revealed a diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis. LIMITATIONS: An observed association between chordoma and tuberous sclerosis cannot be established firmly on the basis of a case report. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates a diagnostic challenge because of the unusual presentation of an already rare tumor. By reporting our case, we hope to assist in the recognition of this rare dermal condition and highlight the speculated coexistence of tuberous sclerosis with chordoma tumors.