The virtual dermatopathology mentorship.

The Covid pandemic necessitated changes in traditional mentorship and educational roles. We offer our experience in structuring a virtual dermatopathology mentorship in the midst of the pandemic. Virtual mentorships have many benefits including ease of access, lack of geographic restrictions, and financial savings, though there still remains an important and irreplaceable role for in-person relationships.

The histopathologic diagnosis of traction alopecia: An evidence-based model.

BACKGROUND: Traction alopecia (TA) is common, but histopathologic criteria for TA have not been objectively defined. OBJECTIVE: Determine whether the pauci-follicular unit (PFU) can be used as a diagnostic criterion for TA. Compared to a normal follicular unit (NFU), the PFU is a noninflamed follicular unit with an intact sebaceous gland but fewer than 2 follicles. METHODS: A retrospective review of 25 cases of TA and 25 cases of "normal scalp" was performed. Data included all follicles (by size and phase), sebaceous glands, and total follicular units. RESULTS: Comparing data (traction vs normal), we found a significantly higher number of PFUs in cases of TA (median 6 vs 0, P < .001), which can be used as a helpful and easily recognizable diagnostic tool in diagnosing cases of TA. LIMITATIONS: Comparison to other forms of alopecia was not performed. CONCLUSIONS: The number of PFUs in an alopecia biopsy can be used to establish the diagnosis of TA.

Improvement of Pretibial Myxedema Following Administration of Teprotumumab.

Pretibial myxedema (PTM) is a rare complication of Graves' disease. It is characterized by non-pitting edema with hyperpigmented hyperkeratotic papules and plaques on bilateral lower legs. Effective treatments for patients with PTM are lacking. The etiology of PTM is unknown; however, it may be similar to the mechanism of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Activated fibroblasts produce inflammatory cytokines and synthesize excessive glycosaminoglycans (GAG) that accumulate in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. A recent, novel pathway implicates IGF-1 receptor as a mediator in this process. We present two patients with refractory PTM that improved following treatment with teprotumumab, an IGF-1 receptor inhibitor approved for use in TAO. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(11):1252-1254. doi:10.36849/JDD.6854.

A case of pustular psoriasis of pregnancy with positive maternal-fetal outcomes.

Pustular psoriasis of pregnancy (PPP), also known as impetigo herpetiformis, is a rare condition that affects women in the third trimester of pregnancy through the postpartum period. The relative infrequency of PPP presents both clinical and pathologic challenges in the diagnosis and management of this condition. We report a case of a woman who presented at 32 weeks' gestation with a generalized rash demonstrating clinicopathologic features consistent with PPP. Based on prior reports of adverse maternal-fetal outcomes in PPP, coordinated efforts from our patient's dermatologic and obstetric teams ensured positive outcomes for the patient and the neonate.

A diagnostically challenging case of CD8+ primary cutaneous gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma.

Primary cutaneous gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma (PCγδTCL) is a rare form of cutaneous lymphoma characterized by abnormal clonal proliferation of mature, activated gamma-delta T cells expressing the γδ heterodimer of the T-cell receptor (TCR). As an entity, PCγδTCL has recently undergone diagnostic revision since its introduction in the 2008 WHO classification of cutaneous lymphomas and confirmedin 2016. Nonetheless, diagnosis remains difficult both clinically and histologically, given its broad range of clinical manifestations and immunohistochemical phenotypes. Herein, we present a rare case of CD8+ PCγδTCL with a discussion highlighting theheterogeneity within this entity.