Efficacy of pulsed intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in mixed connective tissue disease

We describe a 69-year-old patient with long-standing mixed connective tissue disease who suffered from severe skin eruptions that did not respond to various immunosuppressive regimens. Therapy with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin was successful in controlling the patient's disease without major side effects. We think that this regimen-although expensive-might be an interesting therapeutic option in selected patients with mixed connective tissue disease that is refractory to other treatment modalities.

Acral localized acquired cutis laxa associated with rheumatoid arthritis

We report the first case of the acral localization of the acquired form of cutis laxa associated with severe rheumatoid arthritis. The skin laxity was preceded by episodes of itching and swelling of the hands and feet. Histopathology showed that the elastic fibers were lost in the areas of cutis laxa and decreased in adjacent skin. The pathogenetic relationship with rheumatoid arthritis or the intake of related drugs is discussed.

Nodular presentation of eosinophilic cellulitis (Wells' syndrome)

Eosinophilic cellulitis is a rare condition of unknown aetiology. The classical presentation is of a tender or mildly pruritic cellulitis-like eruption, that has typical histology characterized by tissue eosinophilia, oedema and "flame" figures. Other reported clinical presentations include papular and nodular eruptions. It may be recurrent, and preceded at a variable time by a pruritic papular eruption. We describe a patient with the rare nodular variant of eosinophilic cellulitis affecting the palms of the hands, which occurred 2 years after a nonspecific pruritic papular eruption, without an obvious precipitant and in the absence of the more typical cellulitis-like plaques.

Nail dystrophy due to lichen sclerosus?

Lichen sclerosus (LS) affects anogenital skin alone in 80% of cases. When extragenital disease occurs, it usually affects the trunk, neck, axillae and wrist flexures. Nail involvement with LS is rare. In contrast, lichen planus (LP) commonly affects extragenital skin. Mucosal lesions occur in 50% of cases, affecting the mouth and genitalia. Nail disease in LP is common, and, if severe, can lead to destruction of the nail bed. LS and LP can coexist. We report two cases of LS with nail involvement. In the Case 1 disease was confined to the nail, and nail biopsy confirmed LS. In the Case 2, the nail changes formed part of the widespread genital and extragenital LS, confirmed histologically. We review existing literature on nail disease in LS and discuss the possible aetiology of the nail changes.

Aggressive keloid scarring of the Caucasian wrist and palm

Keloid scarring of the distal upper extremity is very rare. We report a Caucasian woman who presented with aggressive keloids of the hand and wrist causing De Quervain's syndrome, superficial radial-nerve entrapment and ulnar-nerve compression at the wrist. Multiple operations were required to alleviate her symptoms. A number of management conundrums arose, requiring defensive planning to pre-empt the possible complications of recurrent keloid scarring as a result of the surgical procedures.

Papular-purpuric gloves and socks syndrome in HIV-positive patients

Three HIV-positive women showed clinical signs of papular-purpuric gloves and socks syndrome and serologic evidence of acute Parvovirus B19 infection. The course of the disease was complicated by anemia and persistent skin lesions, probably related to inadequate immune response. Because anemia in AIDS patients may be due to many causes, the history of recent Parvovirus B19 infection is helpful in suggesting the etiologic diagnosis.

A case of dermatomyositis associated with mechanic's hand

A 67-year-old man was referred to the Department of Internal Medicine at Tokyo Medical University with interstitial pneumonia in July 1999. He presented with keratotic plaques on both palsm and on the ventral and lateral sides of his fingers. Erythematous keratosis was observed on the dosal aspect of his fingers and metatarsophalangeal (MP) joints. Edematous erythema was seen on the patient's chest, back, and the extensor surfaces of his arms. Electromyography revealed a myogenic pattern and an increased level of myogenic enzymes was found in the blood. Histological findings of the ventral sides of his fingers showed hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis of the dermal tissue and liquefaction degeneration of the basal layer at the papilla. Based on these findings, the patient was given a diagnosis of dermatomyositis associated with mechanic's hand. A systemic examination confirmed interstitial pneumonia and carcinoma of the duodenal papilla. Mechanic's hand is a type of dermatitis associated with myopathy first reported by Stahl et al. in patients with collagen disease. We report herein the first documented case of mechanic's hand in Asians.

Idiopathic tumoral calcinosis associated with congenital malformation of the hand. Case report

The authors describe a case of tumoral calcinosis of the hand in a three-year-old child, involving the digits and carpus, and associated with ectrodactyly. The clinical features, diagnostic imaging procedures, particularly radiography and MRI, and therapeutic approach, in most cases radical excision, of this rare soft tissue tumour are discussed.

Palmoplantar keratoderma and leukokeratosis anogenitalis: the second case of a new disease

An increasing number of syndromes with palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) with associated diseases are being identified, representing a wide spectrum of distinct entities. At present only one case report has described the combination of marked anogenital leukokeratosis with diffuse PPK evolving in a collodion baby. We report a patient with a diffuse, nonprogressive PPK in combination with an intermittently pruritic, slowly progressive anogenital leukokeratosis. Hyperkeratosis of the perineal area was most pronounced and extended to the distal portion of the anal mucosa. The opalescent lesion was also visualized at the margin of the major labia. Vulvar structures were not otherwise involved or dystrophic. There were no signs or symptoms of ectodermal dysplasia. Specifically, the nails were normal and showed no signs of pachyonychia congenita. Other differential diagnoses included dyskeratosis congenita and white sponge nevus, which may be associated with anogenital leukokeratosis, but a keratoderma is not associated with these entities. Keratin immunocytochemistry showed marked expression of suprabasal K17 and absence of K6 and K16. Further examination of the initial case described by Itin and Rufli demonstrated the same expression pattern and supports the contention that these two cases represent the same entity.

Squamous cell carcinoma arising from lesions of porokeratosis palmaris et plantaris disseminata

We report a 63-year-old Japanese man with numerous hyperkeratotic papules of porokeratosis palmaris et plantaris disseminata (PPPD) who developed multiple squamous cell carcinomas on the lesional sites of the palms and soles. The hyperkeratotic papules, which showed tightly packed columns of parakeratotic cells in the cornified layer (cornoid lamella), lost granular layer, and dyskeratotic keratinocytes in the epidermis below the cornoid lamella histologically, had been noticed on the palms and soles from the age of 28 and 43, respectively. He has no family history of such hyperkeratotic papules. Treatment with etretinate (10-50 mg/day) was given discontinuously, and the total dose of etretinate amounted to approximately 21 g over 14 years (average: 0.07 mg/kg/day). He noticed erosions on the hyperkeratotic papules on the left sole and palm more than 9 months after cessation of treatment with etretinate. Histological findings showed numerous atypical keratinocytes in the epidermis and upper dermis with mononuclear cell infiltration seen in the upper dermis. The diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma arising from the lesions of porokeratosis palmaris et plantaris was made. Five erosions with histologically malignant changes were removed 1 cm from the margin of the erosions. These findings suggest that etretinate may have an inhibitory action on malignant changes in PPPD.

Sweet's syndrome and polycythaemia rubra vera

Sweet's syndrome is associated with haematological malignancy, particularly acute myelogenous leukaemia, but there are few reports of its association with polycythaemia rubra vera. We describe an 85-year-old man with polycythaemia rubra vera who developed Sweet's syndrome and review the literature of this association.

A rare association of systemic sclerosis with psoriasis vulgaris

Three patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and psoriasis vulgaris were evaluated. The onset of psoriasis preceded by 3-7 years the onset of SSc in all cases. All the patients presented diffuse scleroderma, accompanied by lung and esophageal involvement in two cases. Sjögren's syndrome occurred in one case. Myalgia developed with the onset of SSc in two patients. The PASI score was not high (mean; 5.2), implying that the degree of psoriasis was not severe in these cases. However, this might have been due to the systemic prednisolone administered for myalgia.

Keratotsis punctata of the palmar creases: report of two cases associated with ichthyosis vulgaris

Two patients with keratosis punctata of the palmar creases are described. The association with ichthyosis vulgaris and other disorders of keratinization is discussed. In both cases, histopathology revealed a close relation between the keratotic plug and the sweat glands. The role of genetic factors and manual activity in the pathogenesis is discussed. Treatment with oral etretinate resulted in a good improvement in the first patient, but prolonged low-dose maintenance therapy was required to prevent recurrence.