Acquired cutis laxa secondary to Sweet syndrome in a child (Marshall syndrome): A rare case report

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.

[Sweet syndrome of childhood with acquired cutis laxa (Marshall syndrome) as primary manifestation of Takayasu arteritis]

A special form of the rare infantile Sweet syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) is facultative healing in the form of postinflammatory elastolysis with acquired cutis laxa, named "Marshall" syndrome after the authors who first described it. We report the case of a 3-year-old child in whom the cutaneous manifestation led to diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. Postinflammatory elastolysis with acquired cutis laxa is a clinically relevant cutaneous indicator of life-threatening cardiovascular complications such as aortitis, aortic aneurysm, coronary stenosis and heart failure in children with Sweet's syndrome. Cutis laxa usually precedes cardiac complications or, as in our case, occurs simultaneously; thus, immediate cardiac and rheumatologic examinations are important to initiate systemic therapy with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents early to prevent complications.

New Practical Aspects of Sweet Syndrome

Sweet syndrome (SS), or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is an inflammatory, non-infectious skin reaction characterized clinically by tender, erythematous papules/plaques/pustules/nodules commonly appearing on the upper limbs, trunk, and head and neck; histologically, SS is characterized by dense neutrophilic infiltrate in the dermis. SS is accompanied by fever; an elevation of inflammatory markers (e.g., erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein) in serum may also be observed. Although most cases of SS are idiopathic, SS also occurs in the setting of malignancy or following administration of an associated drug. SS has also been reported in association with pregnancy and a burgeoning list of infectious (most commonly upper respiratory tract infections) and inflammatory diseases; likewise, the litany of possible iatrogenic triggers has also grown. Over the past several years, a wider spectrum of SS presentation has been realized, with several reports highlighting novel clinical and histological variants. Corticosteroids continue to be efficacious first-line therapy for the majority of patients with SS, although novel steroid-sparing agents have been recently added to the therapeutic armamentarium against refractory SS. New mechanisms of SS induction have also been recognized, although the precise etiology of SS still remains elusive. Here, we catalogue the various clinical and histological presentations of SS, summarize recently reported disease associations and iatrogenic triggers, and review treatment options. We also attempt to frame the findings of this review in the context of established and emerging paradigms of SS pathogenesis.

Drug-Induced Histiocytoid Sweet Syndrome: Two Cases With Levofloxacin and Amoxicillin-Clavulanate

ABSTRACT

Histiocytoid Sweet syndrome (HSS) is an uncommon histologic variant of Sweet syndrome (SS). HSS can be distinguished from the classic SS with an infiltrate of histiocyte-like immature myeloid cells rather than dense neutrophilic infiltration, although the clinical features are similar. Previous studies have shown that the risk of hematologic malignancy is significantly higher in HSS compared with classic SS. To lesser extent, HSS is also associated with infections, inflammatory diseases, and drugs, particularly with antineoplastic agents as well. Here, we report a case of 2 patients with an abrupt onset of erythematous, tender plaques accompanied by fever, with that revealed similar histopathologic and immunohistochemical features, whom had a history of antibiotic use. Clinicopathologic correlation led to diagnosis of drug-induced HSS, associated with the use of levofloxacin and amoxicillin-clavulanate, respectively. Both patients were then successfully treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy, and neither of them had recurrence during the period of 24-month follow-up.

Acquired cutis laxa type II (Marshall syndrome) in a 3-month-old boy

Acquired cutis laxa type II (Marshall syndrome) is a post-inflammatory elastolysis occurring in infancy and childhood. It is challenging to treat with very few effective treatment options available. Herein, we describe the case of a 3-month-old boy with acquired cutis laxa type II secondary to a neutrophilic dermatosis. Early treatment of the initial inflammatory phase is essential to reduce the permanent sequelae.