Two Cases of Telangiectasia Macularis Eruptiva Perstans Demonstrated by Immunohistochemistry for C-Kit (CD 117)

Topical pimecrolimus for paediatric cutaneous mastocytosis

BACKGROUND

Most cases of paediatric cutaneous mastocytosis (CM) occur before the age of 2 years, and regression occurs in only 67% of children. Given the absence of any specific therapy, CM is usually treated symptomatically. A few publications have reported the beneficial effect of calcineurin inhibitors for CM.

AIM

We sought to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety profile of topical pimecrolimus cream for the treatment of CM.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of all diagnosed cases of CM treated with topical pimecrolimus 1% cream between 2013 and 2015. All patients were evaluated in a paediatric dermatology unit of a tertiary medical centre. Epidemiological, clinical and treatment data, including effectiveness and safety, were reviewed.

RESULTS

In total, 18 children (11 male, 7 female; age range 3-42 months) with CM were evaluated. Of the 146 treated lesions, 39 (26.7%) disappeared and 98 (67%) faded or developed postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. Of the 119 papular lesions, 24 (16.4%) showed partial flattening and 56 (47%) became macular. Darier sign became negative in 14 (82%) of 17 patients. No topical or systemic complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical therapy with pimecrolimus 1% cream should be considered in the treatment of CM.

Acquired bilateral telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans: A unique clinical feature of photodamaging rather than a subtype of cutaneous mastocytosis

Telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans (TMEP) is a rare subtype of cutaneous mastocytosis, characterized by telangiectatic tan to brown macules on the trunk and extremities. Although TMEP has been descried as an uncommon disease in the literature, we often encounter patients with TMEP lesions in the outpatient clinic. We aimed to assess the clinical and histopathological characteristics of acquired bilateral TMEP, and the pathophysiological mechanism of acquired bilateral TMEP among these patients. We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients (28 men and 2 women) with acquired bilateral TMEP; multiple telangiectatic dark red to brown macules that were symmetrically distributed. The clinical characteristics and general histopathological findings of lesional skin were investigated. The number of mast cells was evaluated using immunohistochemical analysis with an antibody directed against c-kit (CD117). Acquired bilateral TMEP was predominantly localized on the sun-exposed area: the upper arm in 30 patients (100%), forearm in 19 patients (63.3%) and anterior chest in 15 patients (50%). A total of 16 patients (53.3%) showed at least one aggravating factor, including UV irradiation, alcohol use and heat exposure. Compared with the mast cell numbers in 19 age- and biopsy site-matched healthy controls (91 ± 29.0/mm² ), the number of mast cells in the papillary dermal skin of acquired bilateral TMEP patients was significantly increased (159 ± 37.2/mm² , P < 0.01). In addition, a significant difference in vessel numbers in the papillary dermis was observed between acquired bilateral TMEP patients and healthy controls (10.5 ± 1.9 vs 5.4 ± 1.0/mm² , P < 0.01). Acquired bilateral TMEP is a relatively common disorder in middle-aged Asian men. An increased number of mast cells and dilated vessels might be a photoaging-related reactive process of chronic sun-exposure, which consequently leads to the formation of characteristic telangiectatic hyperpigmentary macules through certain melanogenic mediators.

Dermatopathology for the surgical pathologist: a pattern-based approach to the diagnosis of inflammatory skin disorders (part II)

The accurate diagnosis of inflammatory conditions in dermatopathology requires integrating the histopathologic findings with the clinical features. This second part of a 2-part review of inflammatory cutaneous conditions presents a pattern-based approach to the diagnosis of dermatologic disorders and reviews the salient clinical and histologic features.

Use of pimecrolimus cream in disorders other than atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Pimecrolimus is indicated for treatment of atopic dermatitis and has been evaluated in many other disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To review the efficacy of pimecrolimus in treatment of disorders other than atopic dermatitis.

METHODS

We performed a PubMed search of the English-language literature using the key word "pimecrolimus." We reviewed articles reporting the use of pimecrolimus in disorders other than atopic dermatitis and classified them by the type of study used to evaluate efficacy.

RESULTS

Randomized, double-blind studies have shown that pimecrolimus is superior to vehicle in treatment of seborrheic dermatitis, hand dermatitis, and asteatotic eczema but have yielded conflicting results regarding intertriginous psoriasis and vitiligo. Open-label studies involving four or more patients have shown favorable results in many disorders, including contact dermatitis, rosacea, lichen sclerosus, and oral and genital lichen planus. Case reports have shown that topical pimecrolimus may be useful in cutaneous graft-versus-host disease, lichen striatus, cutaneous lichen planus, and many other disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical pimecrolimus appears to be an effective treatment for many disorders other than atopic dermatitis, especially seborrheic dermatitis, hand dermatitis, and asteatoic eczema. It may be effective in many other disorders, but its role in these disorders remains to be clarified by additional studies.

The role of topical calcineurin inhibitors for skin diseases other than atopic dermatitis

The topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) pimecrolimus and tacrolimus are approved for atopic dermatitis but have additional potential in other inflammatory skin diseases. This article reviews their clinical use in non-atopic dermatitis diseases. In seborrheic dermatitis, asteatotic eczema, and contact dermatitis, TCIs are of great benefit and can compete with topical corticosteroids. In psoriasis, TCIs have shown clinical efficacy and safety in facial and intertriginous lesions. Further investigations into possible combinations of TCIs with other established treatments such as UVB irradiation in this disorder are necessary. Initial studies in cutaneous lupus erythematosus have been promising, whereas the response in rosacea and rosacea-like eruptions has been mixed. TCIs have been associated with good clinical responses in oral lichen planus and anogenital lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. In vitiligo, TCIs are associated with some degree of repigmentation, with better results being seen in children and in facial and neck areas. TCIs have a synergistic effect with UVB irradiation in vitiligo. There is a long list of small series and case reports documenting use of TCIs in various other skin conditions that warrant further validation. Although the established mode of action of TCIs is T-cell control, other effects also need to be considered. Specifically, TCIs reduce pruritus and erythema, which cannot be explained by T-cell interactions, and further investigations are needed in these fields.

Topical pimecrolimus for skin disease other than atopic dermatitis

Pimecrolimus is an ascomycin macrolactam. It is a specific calcineurin inhibitor that allows topical application. The highly lipophilic nature of this compound reduces the risk of systemic absorption through normal and inflammed skin. Pimecrolimus shows activity not only against T-cell activation, but also against mast cells and pruritus. Pimecrolimus 1% cream is approved for atopic dermatitis, and also has a great potential in other inflammatory skin diseases. Clinical trials have been performed in contact- and seborrhoeic dermatitis, genital lichen sclerosus, intertriginous psoriasis and cutaneous lupus erythematosus. In other diseases, the available data are limited to small case series, or individual cases of graft-versus-host disease or Netherton's disease. Although the use of calcineurin inhibitors in the treatment of vitiligo is promising, detailed studies with pimecrolimus and ultraviolet-irradiation are necessary and there is a need for prospective randomised, double-blind controlled trials.