Perianal purpuric plaques revealing an amyloid light-chain amyloidosis: case report and review of the literature

Systemic immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis is the most common and severe type of amyloidosis. There is an abnormal fibrillary protein deposition in tissues that leads to progressive and irreversible organ dysfunction. The most commonly affected organs are kidney and heart. Although rare, cutaneous manifestations may be the first clinical sign of the disease and usually present as hemorrhagic lesions, such as purpura, petechiae, and ecchymosis. We present a 71-year-old man that presented to our department because of exuberant purpuric plaques in the anogenital area as the first manifestation of an amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. The multi-organ involvement in addition to rapid clinical deterioration precipitated the patient's death four months later.

Metastatic calcinosis cutis in a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma

Calcinosis cutis results from the deposition of insoluble calcium salts in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Herein, we report a case of extensive metastatic calcinosis cutis in an 18-year-old woman with stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma with skeletal involvement. With combination therapy including radiation directed at her lymphoma and diltiazem, her lesions improved dramatically. This case demonstrates the previously unreported association between calcinosis cutis and Hodgkin lymphoma.

Primary Localized Cutaneous Nodular Amyloidosis in a Patient with Sjögren's Syndrome: A Review of the Literature

We report a 53-year-old Japanese woman with multiple, red, and elastic soft nodules on the left waist, left thigh, and right lower leg. She had had polyclonal hyperglobulinemia for one year, rheumatoid arthritis for 13 years, and Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) for 18 years. Histochemical examination of the nodule on the left thigh revealed a deposition of amyloid by Congo red staining. It was also positively stained with both anti-kappa and -lambda light chain antibodies. Moreover, the cytoplasm of the infiltrating plasma cells also positively reacted to both antibodies. The major amyloid proteins of primary localized cutaneous nodular amyloidosis (PLCNA) generally consist of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. A review of literature demonstrates 13 cases of PLCNA with SjS, in which immunoglobulin light chains were demonstrated in the amyloid in 5 cases. Amyloid in the 3 cases was composed of a single class immunoglobulin light chain and that in the 2 cases was composed of both kappa and lambda light chains. Polyclonal immunoglobulin amyloid has been reported only in PLCNA with SjS, which may be related to the fact that a certain population of SjS develops polyclonal B cell proliferation and hyperglobulinemia.

[Cutaneous calciphylaxis]

Calciphylaxis represents a dermatological emergency with a mortality of up to 80%. The disease is characterized by a triad of arteriolar medial calcification, thrombotic cutaneous ischemia and necrotic ulcerations. Recently several mechanisms of vascular calcification have been identified. This may led to preventive measures in the future. Early diagnosis is important to avoid complications such as sepsis. The dermatologist plays an important role in early diagnosis based on the recognition of clinical presentation and histopathology. Patients with end-stage renal disease are most commonly affected by calciphylaxis. The most frequent non-uremic predisposing conditions are primary hyperparathyroidism, malignancies, alcohol-induced liver disease, and autoimmune connective tissue diseases. Medical treatment aims to normalize mineral metabolism to reduce the serum concentration of sodium phosphate and thus to prevent precipitation and calcification. Newer compounds are bisphosphonates, non-sodium/non-aluminium phosphate binders, cinacalcet, paricalcitrol, and sodium thiosulfate. Among the surgical procedures parathyroidectomy did not result in a significant survival benefit. An aggressive surgical debridement of necrotic ulcerations, on the other hand, improved survival. Early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary treatment approach including re-vascularization by the vascular surgeon, repeated surgical debridement and split skin transplantation support wound healing and insure limb conservation.

Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (ORL) tumor presentation in a case of systemic AA amyloidosis

A 64-year-old male with no underlying disease presented with the development of multiple skin nodules, loss of sensation in the extremities, hoarseness, macroglossia, and pain in the oral cavity. Direct laryngoscopy showed nodules involving the oral cavity, oropharynx, supraglottic region, and vocal cords. Biopsy from skin nodules showed amyloid deposits staining with Congo red. Immunohistochemical staining was used for AA protein and was positive. Biopsy from the oral floor was also positive for amyloid. Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (ORL) involvement has been reported in approximately 40 percent of AL amyloidosis patients, but does not appear to be frequent in AA amyloidosis. Cutaneous manifestations in AA amyloidosis are rare, although cases with lesions presenting as purpura are reported occasionally; we are not aware of other cases of ORL nodular involvement in systemic AA.

Calciphylaxis in the absence of end-stage renal disease

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of calciphylaxis in the absence of renal failure in a patient with secondary hyperparathyroidism and low calcium/phosphorus product, in whom total parathyroidectomy resulted in relief of pain and healing of ulcerations.

METHODS

We present the clinical, laboratory, and pathologic findings in a 62-year-old woman with calciphylaxis in the absence of end-stage renal disease.

RESULTS

A 62-year-old woman presented with painful nonhealing bilateral calf ulcerations. Pathology examination of tissue specimens from surgical débridement revealed intravascular calcification, consistent with calciphylaxis. Laboratory investigation revealed normal renal function; however, hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia were present--a corrected serum calcium level of 7.5 mg/dL (normal, 8.5 to 10.2) and a serum phosphorus value of 1.0 mg/dL (normal, 2.5 to 4.5). These abnormalities were likely due to vitamin D deficiency, evidenced by a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 14 ng/mL, which provoked an elevation of the serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration, documented by an intact PTH of 213 pg/mL (normal, 15 to 65) and a whole PTH (1-84 PTH) of 70.6 pg/mL (normal, 7 to 36). Her quality of life was severely impaired, not only by the ulcerations but also by intractable pain that necessitated epidural analgesia during the hospitalization. The patient underwent total parathyroidectomy and transcervical thymectomy, with cryopreservation of parathyroid tissue. One year after the parathyroidectomy, the patient had no recurrence of calciphylaxis.

CONCLUSION

This case suggests that despite the potential complex pathophysiologic aspects of calciphylaxis, even in the absence of both renal failure and an elevated calcium/phosphorus product, early parathyroidectomy in patients with appreciably increased PTH levels may improve wound healing and diminish pain.

Primary cutaneous nodular amyloidosis in a patient with Sjögren's syndrome

A 71-year-old woman with a history of Sjögren's syndrome presented for evaluation of a waxy nodule present on the scalp for 6 months. Histopathologic examination revealed deposition of homogenous eosinophilic material throughout the reticular dermis consistent with amyloidosis. Primary cutaneous nodular amyloidosis is a rare phenomenon characterized by the deposition of immunoglobin light chains by a clonal plasma cell population. Patients need to be monitored for progression to systemic amyloidosis or plasma cell dyscrasias.

Heredit�re Stoffwechselerkrankungen mit kutaner Manifestation

Over the last years, the genetic basis of several monogenic inherited metabolic diseases has been elucidated. Interestingly, some of these disorders manifest with characteristic cutaneous symptoms that are often crucial for diagnosis. In most cases, however, besides the skin other organs are affected. Therefore, an interdisciplinary supervision of these patients is highly important. In this review we will discuss diseases that constitute a challenge not only for dermatologists but also for physicians from other specialties. A particular emphasis is put on genetic and clinical features of these disorders as well as current therapeutic concepts.

Propionic acidemia and zinc deficiency presenting as necrolytic migratory erythema

Necrolytic migratory erythema was first described in 1942 in a patient with pancreatic islet cell carcinoma. The disease can, however, have other etiologies including nutritional dermatoses. Here, we describe the clinicopathological picture of a 7-year-old female patient who presented with necrolytic migratory erythema which we believe is secondary to a rare combination of zinc deficiency and propionic acidemia.

[Juvenile xanthogranuloma: a form of histiocytosis with an excellent prognosis]

In three patients, a girl aged six weeks and two boys aged eight and three months, juvenile xanthogranuloma was diagnosed. This is a rare cutaneous disorder that predominantly occurs during infancy and early childhood. It is one of the non-malignant, non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses (class II histiocytoses). It is characterized by a circumscript, firm, yellow-brown and sometimes pink-red nodule or papule located mainly on the face or scalp. Diagnosis can be made on the clinical appearance. However, this may need to be confirmed by a histopathological investigation, which includes immunohistochemical stains. In contrast to generalized histiocytoses, the prognosis of juvenile xanthogranuloma is excellent: the cutaneous tumour disappears spontaneously in one to six years. However, extracutaneous involvement, which is most frequently located in the eye, can occur. Moreover, juvenile xanthogranuloma is associated with neurofibromatosis type I and juvenile chronic myeloid leukaemia. This rare but possibly life-threatening systemic involvement justifies meticulous follow-up.

Cutaneous deposition diseases. Part I

The cutaneous deposition disorders are a group of unrelated conditions characterized by the presence of either endogenous or exogenous substances within the dermis or the subcutis. Part I of this two-part series will focus on metabolic processes involved in the endogenous deposition in the various forms of amyloidosis, porphyria, colloid milium, and lipoid proteinosis. We will also review the clinical, histologic, biochemical, and ultrastructural findings relevant to each disorder. Basic mechanisms of pathogenesis, diagnostic modalities, and treatment options are also discussed.

Methylmalonic acidemia, cobalamin C type, presenting with cutaneous manifestations

BACKGROUND

Erosive dermatitis resembling the skin lesions of acrodermatitis enteropathica has been described in a number of aminoacidopathies and organic acidemias. In some, the dermatitis is a manifestation of untreated disease, while in others, including methylmalonic acidemia, skin lesions have been ascribed to nutritional deficiency due to therapeutic amino acid restrictions.

OBSERVATIONS

We report 2 cases of methylmalonic acidemia presenting with cutaneous manifestations in the perinatal period before restrictive nutritional interventions. The cutaneous involvement consisted of cheilitis and diffuse erythema with erosions and desquamation. Methylmalonic acidemia, cobalamin C type, was subsequently diagnosed in both cases.

CONCLUSIONS

An erosive, desquamating dermatitis with histopathologic characteristics resembling acrodermatitis enteropathica may be a presenting sign in cobalamin C methylmalonic acidemia, even in the absence of long-standing nutritional restrictions or deficiency.