Clinical Spectrum of Cutaneous Tuberculosis in Central India: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is a significant health problem in both developing and developed countries. In India, cutaneous TB constitutes about 0.1% to 2% of the total skin diseases attending outpatients. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical spectrum and therapeutic outcome in cutaneous TB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical records of diagnosed cases of cutaneous TB from June 2015 to June 2018 were analyzed retrospectively with respect to epidemiology, clinical features, investigations, and treatment outcome. Statistical analysis was done using mean, median, and proportion. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients with cutaneous TB were recruited. Females (61.53%) outnumbered males. The most common age group affected was 21-30 years (32.69%) followed by 41-50 years (30%). Lupus vulgaris was the most common clinical type with head and neck being the most common site of involvement. Mantoux positivity was reported in 67.30% of patients while raised ESR in 71.15% of patients. Two patients had serology positive for HIV. Conclusive evidence of TB on histopathology was reported in 86.53%. Excellent response was observed in cases of lupus vulgaris, scrofuloderma, and tuberculosis verrucosa cutis. CONCLUSION: This retrospective analysis emphasizes the importance of clinicopathological correlation and therapeutic response in cutaneous TB. Although positive results of ESR, Mantoux reactivity, and TB cultures facilitate the clinical diagnosis, negative results should not exclude the diagnosis of cutaneous TB. This prominent case detection in the era of the Revised National TB Control Programme, in short period of time signifies health burden of cutaneous TB in this part of Maharashtra.

Zinc-Responsive Acral Hyperkeratosis: A Report of a Rare Entity.

Chronic acral hyperkeratotic dermatosis includes several conditions such as lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), hypertrophic lichen planus (HLP), psoriasis vulgaris (Ps), acral acanthosis nigricans, acquired zinc deficiency, and necrolytic acral erythema (NAE). LSC, Ps, and HLP respond to conventional treatments such as topical corticosteroids, immuno-modulators such as tacrolimus, and oral methotrexate. Zinc-responsive acral hyperkeratosis is a novel entity that resembles the above mentioned diagnoses clinically but fails to respond to the above treatment options. NAE is a rare condition, commonly associated with hepatitis C virus infection and manifest similar clinical features of zinc-responsive acral hyperkeratosis, but differs histopathologically. Both conditions show a good response to oral zinc supplementation. As there is a paucity of literature on zinc-responsive acral hyperkeratosis, we are highlighting the case.

Clinical Spectrum of Cutaneous Malignancies in Central India: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous malignancies account for 1%-2% of all the diagnosed cancers in India. Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) include basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Others include melanoma, cutaneous lymphomas, and sarcomas. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is the most important risk factor associated with skin malignancies, although various other factors are also implicated. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this work were to study clinical spectrum with age and sex distribution of cutaneous malignancies and metastasis; to study clinicopathological variants of each type of cutaneous malignancies; and to study the risk factors associated with cutaneous malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It was a retrospective analysis of clinically and biopsy proven cases of cutaneous malignancies from January 1, 2016 to January 31, 2018. Medical records of patients were assessed with respect to demographic information, clinical examination, dermoscopy, and histopathology. Statistical analysis was done using mean, proportion, and percentage. RESULTS: Sixty-six cases with cutaneous malignancies were recruited. There was female preponderance. The most common age group affected was 60-70 years. BCC was the most common malignancy (41%) followed by SCC (30%), malignant melanoma (9%), and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (1.5%). Head and neck was the most common site involved. The most common clinical type of both BCC and SCC was the nodular type. Acral lentiginous was the most frequent subtype of melanoma reported. The most common predisposing for NMSCs was prolonged sun exposure (46%). CONCLUSION: This study highlights an increasing trend of NMSCs with female preponderance. Head and neck is the most common site involved. Increased risk of NMSCs is seen with increased sun exposure and predisposed genetic conditions. T-cell lymphoma was common than B-cell type. The most common internal malignancy to cause cutaneous metastasis was breast carcinoma.

The Puzzle of Papules Over Face and Extrafacial Areas: A Rare Case of Disseminated Idiopathic T-Cell Pseudolymphoma.

Papular lesions over face have a wide range of differential diagnoses. The clinical differentiation among these is difficult and often requires clinicopathological correlation. We hereby report the case of a 28 year old female presenting with numerous skin colored papular lesions over face, pinna and upper limbs.

Multiple Erythematous Nodules: An Intriguing Entity.

Pyogenic granuloma (PG), also called a lobular capillary hemangioma, is a benign vascular proliferation of skin or mucous membrane. It classically presents as a solitary friable nodule over the face or distal extremities. Multiple disseminated PG is a rare form generally reported after trauma such as burn injury. We report two cases of spontaneous development of multiple localized PGs in immunocompetent individuals.

A Rare Case of Lichen Planus Follicularis Tumidus Involving Bilateral Retroauricular Areas.

Lichen planus follicularis tumidus (LPFT) is an extremely rare variant of lichen planus characterized by white to yellow milia-like cysts and comedones on a violaceous to hyperpigmented plaque most commonly involving retroauricular area. Clinically, it resembles milia en plaque. It is usually asymptomatic, more common in middle-aged females. Histopathologically, it has features of lichen planopilaris along with follicular cysts in dermis surrounded by lichenoid infiltrate. We are reporting a case of LPFT in a 62-year-old male patient involving bilateral retroauricular areas due to the rarity of this condition.

Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome with Arterio-veno-lymphatic Malformation: A Rare Presentation.

Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare disorder characterized by triad of vascular malformations, varicose veins, and bony or soft tissue hypertrophy involving an extremity. Port wine stain is the most common vascular malformation associated with this syndrome. Various other rare vascular malformations described are angiokeratomas, angiokeratoma circumscriptum naeviformae, angiodermatitis, etc. This is the first instance, to the best of our knowledge, describing the capillary, venous, and lymphatic malformations in a same case of KTS.

Mycetoma: A Common Yet Unrecognized Health Burden in Central India.

CONTEXT: Mycetoma is a chronic suppurative infective disorder of skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, and bones caused by the traumatic inoculation of either fungal (eumycotic) or bacterial (actinomycotic) organisms present in the soil. Triad of tumefaction, discharging sinuses, and grains characterizes the disease. AIMS: This study was undertaken to study the clinical spectrum and treatment response of mycetoma in central India. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: It was a retrospective study of clinical and/or biopsy-proven and treated cases of mycetoma from November 2015 to October 2016. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Medical records of diagnosed and treated mycetoma patients were enrolled retrospectively during November 2015 and October 2016. Case records of patients were evaluated with respect to demographic, clinical, microbiological details, bone involvement, and treatment. Type of therapies and outcome, wherever available, were also assessed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical analysis was done using proportion, mean, and percentages. RESULTS: Eleven cases (male = 8) were seen during the study period (seven actinomycetoma and four eumycetoma). Foot and lower extremity was the most common site (9/11), whereas upper extremity and forehead were involved in one case each. On culture, the organisms isolated were Phialophora and Fusarium. Modified Welsch regimen was started in six of seven patients with actinomycetoma, whereas one was started on sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid therapy. All four cases of eumycetoma were treated with itraconazole. On follow-up, six cases of actinomycetoma cases showed significant improvement. Two cases of eumycetoma showed mild to moderate improvement and one case required surgical intervention. One case each of actinomycetoma and eumycetoma were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Mycetoma has been recognized as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization, recently. There are very few case reports from the central part of India. Prominent case detection in our study emphasizes the need of larger studies to know the extent of disease in this part of India.

A retrospective study of the severe and uncommon variants of erythema nodosum leprosum at a tertiary health center in central India.

BACKGROUND: Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) classically presents with tender, coppery, evanescent nodules along with constitutional features and visceral involvement. However, uncommon morphological variants of ENL-like erythema nodosum necroticans, erythema multiforme (EM)-like ENL, Sweet's syndrome (SS)-like ENL, Lucio phenomenon, and reactive perforating type of ENL have also been described in the literature. The primary objective of this study was to describe the clinical features of the severe and uncommon morphological variants of ENL. METHODS: This was an observational case series with retrospective review of records of all ENL patients with ulceronecrotic lesions admitted in the Department of Dermato-venereo-leprology of a tertiary health center of central India over a period of 2 years. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were included, all of whom had ulceronecrotic lesions. Four out of them had EM like ENL, two had SS-like presentation, and one of them had annular bullous lesions over old infiltrated plaques of leprosy. CONCLUSIONS: Uncommon variants of ENL can be very commonly misdiagnosed in patients, especially in those who have not been previously diagnosed with leprosy. Hence, a high index of suspicion is required in such cases to avoid delay in the diagnosis and resulting morbidity.