Cutis Laxa Acquisita After Urticarial Vasculitis in SLE Patients

Acquired cutis laxa: a clinical review

Acquired cutis laxa (ACL) is a rare, nonhereditary cutaneous disorder characterized by saggy inelastic skin. It has been associated with various inflammatory, autoimmune, and neoplastic diseases, in addition to certain infections and medication. This article reviews ACL the demographical, clinical, and histological features of ACL, focusing on all associated disorders. Additionally, this review article provides an in-depth discussion of all the mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of ACL and all therapeutic options available; we also present an algorithm for the workup of patients with ACL. A systematic literature review was performed on PubMed/Medline and EMBASE databases, searching for all available articles on ACL with no limits on participant age, race, sex, nationality, or publication date. Ninety-eight articles were included. The total number of included patients was 110, with a mean age of 36.4 years at presentation (range 0.25-78) and a M:F sex ratio of 1.24. ACL was most commonly associated with inflammatory disorders (43%) followed by neoplastic disorders (27%). In 73% of the neoplastic-associated cases, ACL occurred on average 2.4 years before malignancy onset. ACL occurs months to years after an underlying inflammatory disorder. In 10% of the cases, ACL was associated with a particular drug, and in 2%, it was associated with specific infections. Data were derived from case reports, case series, letters to editors, observational studies, and abstracts. Limitations include the accuracy of published data, potential patient selection, and reporting bias. Dermatologists should be alert to these associations to provide adequate screening and management of patients with ACL.

Acquired cutis laxa secondary to acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis: A case report and mini-review of literature

Cutis laxa presents as loose redundant skin folds and loss of dermal elastic tissue. Acquired cutis laxa (ACL) is characterized by later onset. It has been reported in association with various kinds of neutrophilic dermatoses, drugs, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune disorders. Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is usually classified as a severe cutaneous adverse reaction characterized by T cell-mediated neutrophilic inflammation. We previously reported a mild case of AGEP caused by gemcitabine in a 76-year-old man. Here, we report a case of ACL secondary to AGEP in this patient. He developed AGEP 8 days after gemcitabine administration. Four weeks after beginning chemotherapy, his skin had become atrophic, loose, and darkly pigmented in areas previously affected by AGEP. Histopathological examination revealed edema and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration but no neutrophilic infiltration in the upper dermis. Elastica van Gieson staining showed that the elastic fibers in all layers of the dermis were sparse and shortened. Electron microscopy showed elevated numbers of fibroblasts and altered elastic fibers with irregular surfaces. Finally, he was diagnosed with ACL secondary to AGEP. He was treated with topical corticosteroids and oral antihistamines. Skin atrophy decreased over 3 months. We summarize 36 cases (including our case) with ACL secondary to neutrophilic dermatosis. We discuss these clinical manifestations, causative neutrophilic disorders, treatments, and outcomes. The mean age of patients was 3.5 years. Five patients had an aortic lesion as systemic involvement. The most common causative neutrophilic disorders were Sweet syndrome (24 cases), followed by urticaria-like neutrophilic dermatosis (11 cases). There were no cases of AGEP except for our case. Although treatment for ACL secondary to neutrophilic dermatosis, such as dapsone, oral prednisolone, adalimumab, and plastic surgery were reported, ACL is generally refractory and irreversible. Our patient was considered reversibly cured due to the absence of continuous neutrophil-mediated elastolysis.

Type II acquired cutis laxa associated with recurrent urticarial vasculitis: brief report

Background

Cutis laxa is a connective tissue disease characterized by loose, wrinkled, and redundant skin. It is either inherited or acquired. In most cases, acquired cutis laxa is associated with neoplasms, drugs, and autoimmune diseases. We present a rare case of acquired cutis laxa following a recurrent urticaria-like eruption in the absence of an autoimmune disease, neoplasm, drugs and or syndrome.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 45-year-old Chinese lady with a 1-year history of widespread pruritic urticarial eruption and a 6-month history of progressive skin wrinkling. On examination, the patient appeared older than her actual age, with apparent wrinkling on the mid-torso with generalized smooth, erythematous macules and wheals. A family history of similar conditions was absent. Biopsy revealed hypersensitivity and atrophy. Following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, we administered antihistamines, which relieved the itching, but her hyperpigmentation and cutis laxa never improved.

Conclusion

Our case shows that the decrease of elastic fibers may be associated with the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the dermis. This supports the hypothesis that chemical mediators may play a major role in the destruction of elastic fibers, thus causing cutis laxa. In addition, we advise practitioners to take a complete clinical and family history to determine if the condition is inherited or acquired.