Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy: a new case series with clinicopathologic and ultrastructural correlation, literature review, and insight into the pathogenesis

Telangiectasia of the lower limbs in a 40-year-old man

A 40-year-old man presented to the dermatology clinic with a 3-year history of erythematous changes to both of his lower legs. These changes began at his feet before spreading proximally.

Cutaneous Collagenous Vasculopathy: A Short Case Series and Literature Review

ABSTRACT

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy (CCV) is a rare and idiopathic microangiopathy of superficial dermal blood vessels. There have been 75 cases described in the literature to date, not including the current report; however, given its clinical similarity to other primary telangiectasias, it is likely to be underreported and underdiagnosed. Here, we describe the clinical and histological features of 2 patients we newly diagnosed with CCV. Both generally fit the profile of prior cases and confirm previously described associations-they both are older White women, have rashes on their lower extremities, and have conditions and medications that are common among other reported cases. However, both are also somewhat atypical, as Patient 1 had symptomatic CCV and Patient 2 had a papular rash. As such, both cases broaden the spectrum of our current understanding of CCV. We also provide a comprehensive review of all published reports of CCV to date and uncover 2 previously unreported associations: one with visceral malignancy, and the other with hypothyroidism. Whether these association are coincidental is worth investigating in future studies.

Telangiectatic Macules Spreading During More Than 30 Years: A Quiz

Abstract is missing (Quiz)

Rare case of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy in a patient with chronic HCV infection 1b subtype

The article is devoted to a rare disease of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy (CCV), which is characterized by common leather telangiectasias and specific histological signs: extended capillaries in the surface layers of the dermis, the walls of which are thickened due to hyaline deposits containing type IV collagen. According to literature, there are no publications about CCV in Russian sources. In foreign literature, only 60 cases are described, the first of which is mentioned in 2000. The patient turned to the EXCLUSIVE medical clinic to resolve the issue of the tactics of treatment of chronic HCV-infection 1b subtype and complaints of common telangiectasia on the skin and mucous membrane of both sclera, without subjective sensations. The first rashes appeared in 2008 and gradually progressed. When performing histological examination, expanded capillaries were found in the surface layers of the dermis, the walls of which are thickened due to protein deposits containing type IV collagen. The described case of CCV is the first in Russian literature and shows the need for histological and immunohistologycal studies to establish a final diagnosis.

PI3K (Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase) Activation and Endothelial Cell Proliferation in Patients with Hemorrhagic Hereditary Telangiectasia Type 1

Hemorrhagic hereditary telangiectasia (HHT) type 2 patients have increased activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway in telangiectasia. The main objective is to evaluate the activation of the PI3K pathway in cutaneous telangiectasia of HHT1 patients. A cutaneous biopsy of a digital hand telangiectasia was performed in seven HHT1 and eight HHT2 patients and compared with six controls. The study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of our center. A histopathological pattern with more dilated and superficial vessels that pushed up the epidermis was identified in HHT patients regardless of the type of mutation and was associated with older age, as opposed to the common telangiectasia pattern. The mean proliferation index (Ki-67) was statistically higher in endothelial cells (EC) from HHT1 than in controls. The percentage of positive EC for pNDRG1, pAKT, and pS6 in HHT1 patients versus controls resulted in higher values, statistically significant for pNDRG1 and pS6. In conclusion, we detected an increase in EC proliferation linked to overactivation of the PI3K pathway in cutaneous telangiectasia biopsies from HHT1 patients. Our results suggest that PI3K inhibitors could be used as novel therapeutic agents for HHT.

HL, Dorn TV, Ruas CP. Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy: light and transmission electron microscopy

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy is a rare acquired idiopathic microangiopathy characterized by progressive development of diffuse asymptomatic telangiectasias and histologically by accumulation of collagen type IV around the affected vessels. It is diagnosed by its clinical history, confirmed by light microscopy with collagen-specific immunostaining. We report a case of a patient with extensive acquired telangiectasias on the left arm, clinically resembling unilateral nevoid telangiectasia. Dilated blood vessels with thickened walls were observed in the dermis. Immunohistochemistry with collagen IV antibodies revealed marked collagen deposition around the vessels, confirming the diagnosis. Transmission electron microscopy observed duplicate and triplicate vascular basal membrane associated with deposition of amorphous material around the membranes.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy: A rare case report

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy (CCV) is a distinct, rare, and underdiagnosed condition. We report a case of CCV in a 50-year-old woman presenting as asymptomatic, erythematous to hyperpigmented nonblanchable macules over both the lower extremities. The clinical differential diagnosis of the lesions was pigmented purpuric dermatoses (Schamberg's purpura) and cutaneous small vessel vasculitis. Histology of the lesions revealed dilated superficial dermal vessels with abundant pink hyaline material in the vessel wall, which stained with periodic acid Schiff stain. The patient was diagnosed as CCV. This condition remains largely underdiagnosed and is commonly mistaken for pigmented purpuric dermatosis or generalized essential telangiectasia. Emphasis on the differentiation of CCV from its clinical and histological mimicks is made.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy: a rare cause of generalised cutaneous telangiectasia

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy is a rare cutaneous microangiopathy of unknown aetiology with only 27 cases reported to date. It is characterised clinically by generalised cutaneous telangiectasias and microscopically by dilation and marked thickening of the walls of superficial dermal blood vessels. Differential diagnosis should be performed with other causes of disseminated telangiectasias, including generalised essential telangiectasia, from which it is clinically indistinguishable. We report a new case of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy in a 61-year-old woman presenting with a 5-year history of asymptomatic telangiectasias distributed symmetrically on her upper and lower limbs and highlight the importance of clinicopathological correlation for the diagnosis of this disease.