Erosive toe-web intertrigo: Clinical features and management.

BACKGROUND: Toe-web (TW) intertrigo is a common disease of fungal or bacterial origin. Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) TW intertrigo consists of weeping, erosive, painful lesions that may be recurrent, leading to functional disability. Eczema is often associated with this condition. The management of intertrigo is poorly codified. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a standardized treatment plan using topical steroids in relation to the course and the frequency of recurrence of GNB-TW intertrigo. METHODS: We conducted a prospective open interventional multicentre study from June 2020 to June 2021. Standardised treatment using TCS together with follow-up via phone calls were performed over a 6-month period. In addition, a retrospective historical monocentric study was performed for patients with suspected TW-GNB intertrigo treated without standardized management. The primary endpoint was disease duration. We performed a Wilcoxon test to compare the median duration of GNB-TW intertrigo in both series. RESULTS: We included 13 patients in the prospective cohort and 14 in the retrospective cohort. In both cohorts, most patients were male with a median age of 59 years. The most frequent signs were fissures and exudates. Eczema was often associated (51.8%). Identified risk factors were psoriasis, local humidity, fungal intertrigo, vascular disease (arterial or venous insufficiency), and a history of multiple local treatments prior to diagnosis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant pathogen (48.1%). Median durations of TW-GNB intertrigo were 56 days and 61 days. There was no significant difference in the median duration of the disease between the prospective and the retrospective cohorts (respectively61 days and 56 days; p > 0.58). Relapses were more frequent in the retrospective cohort (respectively 7.7% and 21.4%). CONCLUSION: GNB-TW intertrigo is a difficult-to-treat disease often associated with eczema. While topical corticosteroids (TCS) seem to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment they do not appear to reduce disease duration compared to other treatments.

Self-care treatment for lymphoedema of lymphatic filariasis using integrative medicine.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease presenting mainly as lymphoedema (elephantiasis). At present, LF is not effectively treated. Integrative medicine (IM) treatment for lymphoedema uses a combination of Indian traditional medicine, Ayurveda, alongside yoga exercises, compression therapy, antibiotics and antifungal treatments, providing a useful combination where resources are limited and different practices are in use. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of the IM in the existing clinical practice of lower-limb lymphoedema management and to determine whether the treatment outcomes align with the World Health Organization (WHO) global goal of LF management. METHODS: Institutional data from electronic medical records of all 1698 patients with LF between 2010 and 2019 were retrospectively analysed using pre- and post-treatment comparisons and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for clinical audit. The primary treatment outcomes evaluated were limb volume, bacterial entry points (BEEPs), episodes of cellulitis, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Secondary outcomes included the influence of the patient's sex, duration of illness, education and employment status on volume reduction. Multiple regression analysis, t-test, χ2-test, analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to assess the association between IM and patients' treatment outcomes. RESULTS: Limb volume reduced by 24.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.47-26.61; n = 1660] following an intensive supervised care period (mean 14.84 days, n = 1660). Limb volume further reduced by 1.42% (95% CI 0.76-2.07; n = 1259) at the first follow-up visit (mean 81.45 days), and by 2.3% between the first and second follow-up visits (mean 231.32 days) (95% CI 1.26-3.34; n = 796). BEEPs were reduced upon follow-up; excoriations (78.4%) and intertrigo (26.7%) were reduced at discharge and further improvements was achieved at the follow-up visits. In total, 4% of patients exhibited new BEEPs at the first follow-up [eczema (3.9%), folliculitis (6.5%), excoriations (11.9%) and intertrigo (15.4%); 4 of 7 BEEPs were recorded]. HRQoL, measured using the disease-specific Lymphatic Filariasis Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, showed an average score of 73.9 on admission, which increased by 17.8 at the first follow-up and 18.6 at the second follow-up. No patients developed new cellulitis episodes at the first follow-up, and only five patients (5.3%) developed new episodes of cellulitis at the second follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: IM for lower-limb lymphoedema successfully reduces limb volume and episodes of cellulitis, and also reduces BEEPs, leading to improved HRQoL. IM aligns with the LF treatment goals of the WHO and is a low-cost, predominantly self-care management protocol. IM has the potential to change care models and improve the lives of patients with lymphoedema.

The diagnosis, management and prevention of intertrigo in adults: a review.

Intertrigo is a common inflammatory skin disorder caused by skin-on-skin friction in skin folds, due to moisture becoming trapped because of poor air circulation. This can occur in any area of the body where two skin surfaces are in close contact with each other. The aim of this scoping review was to systematically map, review and synthesise evidence on intertrigo in adults. We identified a wide range of evidence and performed a narrative integration of this related to the diagnosis, management and prevention of intertrigo. A literature search was conducted within the following databases: Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed and EMBASE. After reviewing articles for duplicates and relevance, 55 articles were included. The incorporation of intertrigo in the ICD-11 provides a clear definition and should improve the accuracy of estimates. With regards to the diagnosis, prevention and management of intertrigo, the literature demonstrates consensus among health professionals in approach and this forms the basis for the recommendations of this review: identify predisposing factors and educate patient in reducing these; educate patients in skin fold management and adopt structured skin care routine; treat secondary infection with appropriate topical agent; consider using moisture-wicking textiles within skin folds to reduce skin-on-skin friction, wick away moisture and reduce secondary infection. Overall, the quality of evidence on which to determine the strength of any recommendations for practice remains low. There remains the need for well-designed studies to test proposed interventions and build a robust evidence base.

Toe Web Infections, the Microbiome, and Toe Web Psoriasis: A Review.

OBJECTIVE: To present the toe web space as an anatomically, physiologically, and pathologically unique part of the human body; characterize toe web infections and discuss why they occur; and highlight toe web psoriasis as an uncommon condition that providers should consider if toe web intertrigo does not respond to treatment. DATA SOURCE: This review encompassed many years of clinical observation and photographs; medical textbooks; and a literature search of MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar. STUDY SELECTION: Primary research keywords included intertrigo, toe web intertrigo, toe web infection, tinea pedis, microbiome, skin microbiome, toe web microbiome, ecology, psoriasis, psoriasis microbiome, intertriginous psoriasis, and Wood's lamp. More than 190 journal articles met the search criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: The authors sought data relating to what makes for a healthy toe web space and what makes for disease. They extracted and collated relevant information to compare and contrast among sources. DATA SYNTHESIS: After understanding the normal toe web space and the microorganisms that normally reside there, the authors investigated why infections occur, how they should be treated, what complications may result, and what other diseases occur in the toe web area. CONCLUSIONS: This review of toe web infection illustrates the effect of the microbiome and reports a rare form of psoriasis that is usually misdiagnosed as athlete's foot. The toe web space is a unique part of the human body that can be affected by a variety of both common and unusual conditions.

Symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema like eruption associated with COVID-19 vaccination.

This is a case of symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema-like eruption following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca-Oxford) vaccination. Investigations, including repeated skin swabs, ruled out an infectious cause. He was subsequently treated with oral prednisolone, which led to a resolution of his symptoms.

Perialar intertrigo in children and adolescents: A multicenter prospective study of 41 cases.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We observed isolated cases of perialar intertrigo in children and teenagers that did not appear to correspond to any known clinical entity. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical features of this dermatosis and the clinical characteristics of the patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, multicenter cohort study in France from August 2017 to November 2019. All the patients under 18 years of age with chronic perinasal intertrigo were included. A standardized questionnaire detailing the clinical characteristics of the patients and the description of the intertrigo. If possible, a Wood's lamp examination of the intertrigo was done. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were included (25 boys and 16 girls, average age: 12.1 years). Intertrigo was bilateral in 38 patients (93%). The majority of patients had no symptoms (54%). Pruritus was present in 39% of cases. Orange red follicular fluorescence was present in the perialar region on Wood's light examination in 78% of cases with active fluorescence. The presumptive diagnoses suggested by the investigators were acne (24.4%), seborrheic dermatitis (19.5%), rosacea (9.8%), psoriasis (9.8%) and perioral dermatitis (7.3%). No diagnosis was proposed in 22% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a previously undescribed clinical sign which is characterized by a chronic bilateral erythematous intertrigo located in the perialar region. It can be isolated or associated with various facial dermatoses.

Three cases of symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE) induced by proton-pump inhibitors.

Symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE), previously termed drug-related baboon syndrome, is an uncommon drug eruption. It is characterized by symmetrical erythema involving the gluteal and/or inguinal area in association with one other intertriginous area in the absence of systemic involvement. It typically develops a few hours to days after drug exposure. The diagnosis is based on clinical presentation and drug history. The treatment consists mainly of withdrawal of the causative agent; corticosteroids (topical or systemic) are prescribed to accelerate the resolution. We present three cases that appeared after proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) intake.

Symmetric drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema: Clinicopathologic study of 19 cases and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Symmetric drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE) is a cutaneous drug reaction characterized by gluteal/anogenital erythema and symmetric involvement of other intertriginous location(s) without systemic signs. Clinicopathologic characterization has been limited to case reports and small series. We describe 19 new cases and review the literature to better define the clinical and histopathologic spectrum of SDRIFE. METHODS: Pathology archives were searched for "SDRIFE" and "baboon syndrome." Cases meeting clinical criteria were included. Clinical and histopathologic features were recorded. Previous reports of SDRIFE with histopathologic descriptions were reviewed. RESULTS: Nineteen new cases were included, over half triggered by antibiotics. Six new causative medications were identified. Median onset was 7 days. Typical lesions were erythematous plaques or papules with or without scale. The most common histopathologic finding was superficial perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate followed by dermal eosinophils, spongiosis, and orthokeratosis. Basal vacuolization and apoptotic keratinocytes were less common. Interstitial histiocytes were present in almost half of our cases. Other findings included atypical lymphocytes and "flame figure." CONCLUSIONS: Appreciation of the range of inciting medications and clinicopathologic features in SDRIFE will improve recognition of this condition. Although many histopathologic features overlap with other common dermatitides, biopsy may assist in excluding key clinical mimics.

Skin areas, clinical severity, duration and risk factors of intertrigo: A secondary data analysis.

AIM: To describe the skin areas most often affected by intertrigo, the clinical severity and duration of intertrigo and possible risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from 2013 to 2016 collected by the International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality in Dutch hospitals, care homes and community care. RESULTS: In total, n = 7865 (mean age 80.1 years) subjects were included in this analysis. The inguinal, breast and gluteal cleft skin areas were most often affected by intertrigo. The skin was often inflamed but not eroded. Strongest associations between intertrigo at inguinal skin and diabetes mellitus (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1-3.1), intertrigo at sub mammary folds and urinary incontinence (OR 1.6; 95% CI 0.9-2.9) and between intertrigo at gluteal cleft and urinary incontinence (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.4-5.2) were observed. CONCLUSION: The inguinal region, sub mammary folds and gluteal clefts are most often affected by intertrigo. Female sex, urinary incontinence and high BMI seem to enhance intertrigo risk at all of these skin areas.

Diaper rashes can indicate systemic conditions other than diaper dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Although the majority of rashes in the diaper area are caused by irritation from urine and feces, irritant diaper dermatitis; IDD, there are some less common but potentially serious cutaneous eruptions associated with systemic diseases that should not be discounted. METHODS: This prospective descriptive study aimed to explore variation in cutaneous disease in the diaper area. It was conducted as a prospective descriptive study between October 2016 and November 2019 in the pediatric department of a tertiary-level hospital. RESULTS: Three hundred consecutive patients with rashes in the diaper area were enrolled. The most common diagnosed was IDD (125 cases; 41.7%), followed by rashes exacerbated by the diaper (101 cases; 33.67%) and non-diaper-related rashes (74 cases; 24.67%). CONCLUSIONS: Our finding suggests that when diagnosing rashes that occur in the diaper area, general pediatricians should consider, in addition to IDD, the possibility of less-common conditions. The simultaneous presence of cutaneous lesions at other sites was linked to diagnoses of systemic diseases other than IDD, (P < 0.001).

Thiotepa hyperpigmentation preceding epidermal necrosis: malignant intertrigo misdiagnosed as Stevens-Johnson syndrome-toxic epidermal necrolysis overlap.

Thiotepa is a common alkylating agent known to precipitate cutaneous reactions consistent with toxic erythema of chemotherapy, including erythema and hyperpigmentation. Herein, we describe an atypical case of malignant intertrigo involving preferential erythema and desquamation not only of skin folds but also of occluded areas after thiotepa-based conditioning. The diagnosis was complicated by concurrent stomatitis and oral petechiae in the setting of autologous stem cell transplant 11 days prior for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Histopathological examination from two cutaneous sites demonstrated epidermal dysmaturation and eccrine gland necrosis consistent with thiotepa-induced desquamation and not Stevens-Johnson syndrome or graft-versus-host-disease. Malignant intertrigo can present with extensive cutaneous involvement, as evidenced by our patient who had 25% body surface area affected. Mucosal involvement is common with most chemotherapeutic regimens and its presence should not deter the astute clinician from consideration of a diagnosis of toxic erythema of chemotherapy. No further interventions were needed and the patient healed spontaneously.

Toxic erythema of chemotherapy secondary to gemcitabine and paclitaxel.

Toxic erythema of chemotherapy (TEC) is an infrequently reported cutaneous condition, with diagnosis predominately based on clinical presentation, histologic findings, and known reported associations. Therefore, it is important to both recognize common presentations of TEC and be mindful of chemotherapeutic agents associated with this cutaneous side effect to prevent misdiagnosis and prolonged time to treatment. Herein, we present a patient with TEC occurring in intertriginous skin (malignant intertrigo) with classic clinical and histologic findings. In our patient this was associated with a combination neoadjuvant gemcitabine and paclitaxel therapy, a relationship that, to our knowledge, has yet to be reported in the literature.

[Fatal outcome of Netherton syndrome due to excessive use of topical corticosteroids in an adult patient]. / Évolution fatale du syndrome de Netherthon due à une utilisation excessive de dermocorticoïdes chez un adulte.

INTRODUCTION: Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare disease caused by SPINK5 mutations associated with ichthyosis (erythroderma and desquamation), alopecia and atopic manifestations. There are no effective treatments. Topical corticosteroids may be used for a limited period in the event of eczema. Herein we report on a patient with fatal complications related to misuse of topical corticosteroids. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 38-year-old woman with NS had been using betamethasone for about ten years for severe pruritus. Consumption was estimated at 7.2kg per year. On examination, she had osteoporosis, Cushing's syndrome, corticotropic insufficiency and inframammary, axillary, and intergluteal superinfected intertrigo. During hospitalization for necrotic leg wounds on severe skin atrophy, she sustained a fracture on falling down. The course was marked by the onset of septic shock of unknown etiology, complicated by acute adrenal insufficiency leading to fatal multi-organ failure. DISCUSSION: Many iatrogenic cases related to topical corticosteroids in children have been reported in the literature, including one case of fatal outcome (CMV infection) in an infant. Such iatrogenic cases are rarer in adults and we observed no fatal cases. In NS, the adverse effects of topical corticosteroids are amplified due to the major defect in the skin barrier which enhances the systemic passage of these drugs. In the absence of any effective therapeutic alternative, weaning patients off topical corticosteroids is usually difficult. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the severity of iatrogenic effects secondary to misuse of topical corticosteroids in NS as well as the need to find effective new treatments for this syndrome.

Intertrigo: causes, prevention and management.

Intertrigo, also known as intertriginous dermatitis, is one of the four separate conditions that fall under the umbrella term of moisture-associated skin damage (MASD). It can affect individuals of all ages. Intertrigo is a common inflammatory skin disorder caused by skin-on-skin friction within skin folds, as a result of moisture becoming trapped because of poor air circulation. It can occur in any area of the body where two skin surfaces are in close contact with each other, such as the axillary, inframammary, umbilical and inguinal areas, and is strongly associated with obesity. Consensus clinical expert opinion suggests that investment in the development and adoption of clear skin care and skin fold management protocols can lead to improvements in the patient experience and better clinical outcomes.

Prevalence and associated factors of intertrigo in aged nursing home residents: a multi-center cross-sectional prevalence study.

BACKGROUND: In geriatric and long-term care settings, intertrigo seems to be common, but generalizable epidemiological estimates are lacking. Aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of intertrigo in aged nursing home residents and to identify possible relationships with demographic and health characteristics. METHODS: A cross-sectional prevalence study was conducted between September 2014 and May 2015 in a random sample of ten institutional long-term care facilities in Berlin, Germany. In total 223, aged long-term care residents were included. Mean age was 83.6 (SD 8.0) years and mean Barthel score was 45.1 (SD 23.8). Board certified dermatologists and study assistants performed skin assessments and measurements according to standard operating procedures. Mean differences and odds ratios between residents with and without intertrigo were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of intertrigo was 16.1% (95% CI 11.6 to 21.2%). The submammary fold was most often affected (9.9%), followed by the inguinal region (9.4%), axilla (0.5%) and abdominal region (0.5%). Increased age was statistically significantly associated with the presence of intertrigo (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.10). Care dependency in bathing activities was associated with intertrigo. Obesity, sex and skin functional parameters were not associated with intertrigo. CONCLUSIONS: Every sixth nursing home resident was affected by intertrigo indicating the high load of this skin condition in this population. Older age seems to be associated with intertrigo. Care dependency in bathing activities was likely to be associated with intertrigo. Structured skin care regimens are needed to prevent and treat intertrigo in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02216526 . Registration date: 8th November 2014.

Toe web intertrigo in Kaposi's sarcoma patients: a microbiological study in a large cohort of patients.

Kaposi 's sarcoma (KS) is a rare multifocal angioproliferative disease associated with human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) infection, characterized by cutaneous nodules or plaques especially on the lower limbs. Some skin modifications, such as chronic lymphedema, plantar hyperkeratosis and interdigital desquamation, may be associated with consequent impairment of the local immunosurveillance and increased risk of some bacterial or mycotic infections. With the objective of evaluating if bacterial or mycotic infections in KS patients are supported by different microorganisms compared to control patients, we performed an observational retrospective study, comparing positive cultural swabs of interdigital intertrigo of KS patients with positive cultural swabs of interdigital intertrigo of patients admitted to our dermatologic unit during the last 10 years. One hundred KS patients and 84 control patients were admitted to this study. Some of the skin swabs from interdigital spaces were positive for more than one microorganism, and therefore we found 187 microorganisms among the KS group and 182 microorganisms in the control group. The most common microrganisms among KS patients were T. mentagrophytes (16%), S. aureus (14.9%), P. aeruginosa (13.9%), S. marcescens (5,9%), while among non-KS patients were S. aureus (26,9%), C. albicans (22%), S. agalactiae (7.7%) and E. coli (9.9%). These differences are statistically significant (p < 0.01). KS patients may be more affected by toe web intertrigo due to other bacteria and dermatophytes than the general population. During clinical examination, a careful inspection is necessary for an early diagnosis of toe web intertrigo, in order to prevent serious complications, such as cellulitis and sepsis. Consequently, a cultural examination with antibiogram is required to identify the causative agent of intertrigo and guide antimicrobial therapy.

Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis and Intertriginous Dermatitis as Nurse-Sensitive Quality Indicators: A Delphi Study.

PURPOSE: This purpose of this study was to determine whether consensus exists concerning the need to collect epidemiologic data about 2 forms of moisture-associated skin damage, incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) and intertriginous dermatitis (ITD), and whether these data should be part of data routinely collected as part of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). DESIGN: Modified Delphi technique. SAMPLE AND SETTING: Questionnaires were sent via e-mail to 50 identified experts, with an initial response of 17. Thirteen clinical experts responded to the second round and 11 responded to a third round. METHODS: Items on the questionnaires were investigator-developed. Consensus was defined as 80% or more agreement. Three rounds of questionnaires were employed to attempt consensus. Descriptive statistics were performed using mean and standard deviation for continuous data and frequencies and percentages for categorical data. Qualitative data were analyzed question by question by the primary researcher using content analysis. RESULTS: Consensus was achieved indicating that individual facilities should regularly collect data about IAD prevalence or incidence. Consensus was not reached about the need to regularly collect data about ITD prevalence or incidence. Panelists also failed to reach consensus that IAD or ITD prevalence or incidence should be incorporated into the NDNQI indicators. CONCLUSION: Panelists did not reach consensus that IAD or ITD epidemiologic data should be incorporated on the NDNQI. Additional research is needed, particularly in the area of ITD, before benchmarks can be established regarding these data as nurse-sensitive indicators of quality care.

Intertrigo Caused by Streptococcus pyogenes.

Well-demarcated, beefy-red lesions of the skin folds, without satellite lesions, are the clinical hallmarks of intertrigo, frequently misdiagnosed especially in young children. We present 6 cases of streptococcal intertrigo to draw attention to this easily diagnosed and treated, but frequently overlooked, infection.