Updates on the dermatopathology of pregnancy-associated skin conditions

Pathologists provide valuable input in the dermatological care of pregnant patients in various contexts. This article provides dermatopathology updates on cutaneous changes associated with pregnancy, organized based on the following classification system: physiological skin changes in pregnancy, specific dermatoses of pregnancy, dermatoses modified in pregnancy, and skin neoplasms in pregnancy. Awareness of the impact of pregnancy on the skin by pathologists is important, as this is an opportunity to contribute to diagnostic precision in this patient population.

[Rare variants of pemphigoid diseases]

Pemphigoid diseases comprise a heterogeneous group of subepidermal autoimmune blistering dermatoses characterized by autoantibodies against structural proteins of the dermal-epidermal junction. Recent decades have witnessed a significant surge in the incidence of these diseases, which, in addition to general aging of the population, can be attributed to the availability of precise diagnostic methods and improved knowledge of the clinical and immunopathological spectrum. While bullous pemphigoid, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and linear IgA disease account for most pemphigoid disorders, less frequent, presumably underdiagnosed variants are increasingly becoming relevant for clinicians. These include epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, anti-p200 pemphigoid, pemphigoid gestationis, lichen planus pemphigoides, and recently defined entities such as IgM pemphigoid and Orf-induced pemphigoid. Accurate characterization and differentiation of these subtypes are not only of diagnostic relevance but may also be associated with therapeutic and prognostic implications for affected individuals. Due to the rarity of these diseases, no controlled prospective clinical trials currently exist, making their diagnosis and therapy challenging.

Diagnosis, fetal risk and treatment of pemphigoid gestationis in pregnancy: A case report

BACKGROUND

Pemphigoid gestationis (PG) is a rare autoimmune blistering disease that usually presents in the second or third trimester, with an incidence of 1 per 50000 pregnancies. PG tends to recur with an earlier onset and a more severe course in subsequent pregnancies. Skin biopsy markers can be confirmed by direct immunofluorescence staining.

CASE SUMMARY

Our patient was diagnosed with PG at 8 mo of gestation with fresh bullous lesion marks on the abdomen and limbs. Termination of the pregnancy was performed by cesarean section at 37 + 4 wk of gestation. The patient delivered an infant weighing 3620 gm. The infant had urticaria-like and vesicular skin lesions and was diagnosed with PG. The patient was discharged on prednisolone and in a satisfactory condition. The infant was discharged after anti-inflammatory therapy for one week.

CONCLUSION

PG is a rarely reported disease, and 10% of newborns develop mild clinical symptoms consisting of urticaria-like or vesicular skin lesions. We intend to remind clinicians to consider this condition when a patient presents with such lesions so that treatment can be started early and neonatal morbidity can be taken into account.

Autoimmune Subepidermal Bullous Diseases of the Skin and Mucosae: Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management

Autoimmune subepidermal blistering diseases of the skin and mucosae constitute a large group of sometimes devastating diseases, encompassing bullous pemphigoid, gestational pemphigoid, mucous membrane pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and anti-p200 pemphigoid. Their clinical presentation is polymorphic. These autoimmune blistering diseases are associated with autoantibodies that target distinct components of the basement membrane zone of stratified epithelia. These autoantigens represent structural proteins important for maintenance of dermo-epidermal integrity. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common subepidermal autoimmune blistering disease of the skin and mucosae. Although the disease typically presents with a generalized blistering eruption associated with itch, atypical variants with either localized bullous lesions or "non-bullous" presentations are observed in approximately 20% of patients. A peculiar form of BP typically associated with pregnancy is pemphigoid gestationis. In anti-p200 pemphigoid, patients present with tense blisters on erythematosus or normal skin resembling BP, with a predilection for acral surfaces. These patients have antibodies targeting the 200-kDa basement membrane protein. Epidermolysis bullosa is a rare autoimmune blistering disease associated with autoantibodies against type VII collagen that can have several phenotypes including a classical form mimicking dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, an inflammatory presentation mimicking BP, or mucous membrane pemphigoid-like lesions. Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is the term agreed upon by international consensus for an autoimmune blistering disorder, which affects one or more mucous membrane and may involve the skin. The condition involves a number of different autoantigens in the basement membrane zone. It may result in severe complications from scarring, such as blindness and strictures. Diagnosis of these diseases relies on direct immunofluorescence microscopy studies and immunoserological assays. Management of affected patients is often challenging. We will here review the clinical and immunopathological features as well as the pathophysiology of this group of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Finally, we will discuss the diagnostic approach and the principles of management in clinical practice.

Pruritus in Pregnancy and Its Management

Pruritus in pregnancy can be a source of significant discomfort in the pregnant patient. Some cases are associated with pregnancy-specific dermatoses, although some patients experience a flare of a preexisting dermatosis. Severe pruritus may be a manifestation of a pregnancy-specific dermatosis associated with increased fetal risks and complications. Early accurate diagnosis and appropriate management are important. Examination often reveals important clinical findings, aiding accurate diagnosis. Pemphigoid gestationis often presents with periumbilical involvement, whereas polymorphic eruption of pregnancy spares the umbilicus and presents in the striae distensae. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is associated with intense pruritus of the palms.

[Specific dermatoses of pregnancy]

The specific dermatoses of pregnancy represent a heterogeneous group of inflammatory skin diseases related to pregnancy and/or the postpartum period. A clinically relevant classification has been well established over the past 10 years and includes pemphigoid gestationis, polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, and atopic eruption of pregnancy. The hallmark of all four entities is severe pruritus that is accompanied by characteristic skin changes. While some of these dermatoses are distressing only to the mother because of pruritus, others may be associated with significant fetal risks. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are therefore essential. In this review, we discuss in detail pemphigoid gestationis, polymorphic and atopic eruptions of pregnancy whereas intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is discussed in a separate article (Kremer A, Ständer S, DOI 10.1007/s00105-016-3923-y ). Furthermore, we present a helpful algorithm for diagnosis and management of pruritus in pregnancy.

Retrospective analysis of pemphigoid gestationis in 32 Saudi patients - Clinicopathological features and a literature review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Pemphigoid gestationis (PG) is a rare autoimmune-mediated blistering disease that mainly affects pregnant women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester and immediate postpartum period. In addition to the clinical assessment, the diagnosis of PG is usually confirmed by histological and immunological studies. PG usually flares up at the time of delivery and spontaneously improves postpartum. Prompt recognition and appropriate management may reduce morbidity associated with this disorder. This study aimed to determine the clinical, histopathological features and treatment of PG of Saudi patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 32 patients with pemphigoid gestationis (PG) was conducted from 1990 to 2014 at King Khalid University Hospital and Derma Medical Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data regarding epidemiology, medical histories, clinical course, diagnostic test results and management were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 32 patients with PG were analyzed. The mean age was 31.9 years. Seventy-four percent of the patients were multigravidas, and 2 patients were primigravidas. One hundred percent of the cases were singleton pregnancies. Eighty-four percent of the cases had the onset of PG during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. One hundred percent of patients complained of pruritus, and 94% reported this as the first symptom. Erythematous plaques and vesiculobullous eruption were the most common skin presentation. The primary sites of involvement were the abdomen, trunk, lower (mainly thighs) and upper limbs. The face and mucus membranes were rarely involved. Fifty percent of patients had recurrent symptoms with their next pregnancy. Direct immunofluorescence revealed a linear deposition of the third component of the complement along the basement membrane zone in all cases (C3),while most of the cases showed positive linear deposition of IgG. Seventy five percent of our patients had a good response to oral corticosteroids, and only one patient needed IVIG. The vast majority of the patients (61%) became free of symptoms within 1-2 months of treatment. In 53% of the patients, maternal and fetal outcomes were good with no complications. Six pregnancies were complicated by preterm labor, 2 experienced IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction), and 2 had an abortion or stillbirth.

CONCLUSION

Our study does not differ dramatically when comparing the onset of PG, the high frequency of multigravida women, the clinical course and good patient outcomes but we observed that the first attack extended from primigravida to 11th pregnancy and slight increase in recurrence rate. Finally the timely diagnosis and appropriate management of PG may improve both maternal and neonatal outcome.

[Pemphigoid gestationis and aplasia cutis congenita: report of a case]

La pemphigoïde gestationis est une dermatose gravidique apparaissant en général entre la 28^ème et la 32^ème semaine d'aménorrhée. L’éruption cutanée est prurigineuse, bulleuse ou vésiculopapuleuse et de topographie péri-ombilicale. Outre la clinique, son diagnostic repose sur la biopsie cutanée avec analyse en immunofluorescence directe. Elle se caractérise par sa tendance à récidiver. Le traitement habituel nécessite des dermocorticoïdes. Les conséquences peuvent être maternelles (menace d'accouchement prématuré), fœtales (retard de croissance intra-utérin), et néo-natales (éruption cutanée). Nous rapportons un cas de pemphigoïde gestationis associé à une aplasie cutanée congénitale type 2. S'agit il d'une association fortuite?

[Pemphigoid gestationis and Turner syndrome; an uncommon association]

The authors report an uncommon case of a pregnant woman with Turner syndrome (TS) whose pregnancy (with favorable outcome) was complicated by a pemphigoid gestationis in third trimester. This case points out that monitoring of these pregnancies is not limited to cardiac monitoring. Prevalence of auto-immune diseases is increased in the TS. Auto-immune dermatoses, such as pemphigoid gestationis, are one of the potential complications during pregnancy and should be known to practitioners.

[Pregnancy-specific dermatoses]

Pregnancy-specific dermatoses include polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, atopic eczema of pregnancy, and pemphigoid gestationis. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and impetigo herpetiformis are not real pregnancy-specific dermatoses but they are important to know considering the fetal and maternal risks. Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy is a pruritic disease that usually occurs in primiparous women during the last trimester of pregnancy. Atopic eczema of pregnancy is still controversial as an entity covering conditions with eczematous lesions, prurigo, or folliculitis, and inconstantly associated with a personal history of atopy. Skin biopsy with direct immunofluorescence or search for serum anti-BPAg1 (180kD) NC16a antibodies is mandatory in pruritic dermatoses of pregnancy in order to rule out pemphigoid gestationis. Serum bile salts levels should be tested whenever a generalized pruritus develops during pregnancy in order to rule out intrahepatic cholestasis.

[Dermatoses in pregnancy. Presentation of a case]

Family physicians usually follow up pregnancies in which no special incidences are expected to occur. Cutaneous pruritus is a common symptom in pregnant women, on most occasions without further consequences. However, noteworthy is a group of very rare pathologies known as pregnancy dermatoses, some of which may have potentially severe complications, mainly for the fetus and the pregnancy outcome, and also, to a lesser degree, for the mothers and other future pregnancies. It is essential to know how to manage the pruritus, and how to take an adequate clinical history in order to diagnose these severe conditions. The case of a pregnant woman who consulted for pruriginous dermatoses (pemphigoid gestationis) is presented to illustrate this topic. A description of the diagnostic process, differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome, is included.

Dermatoses of pregnancy - clues to diagnosis, fetal risk and therapy

The specific dermatoses of pregnancy represent a heterogeneous group of pruritic skin diseases that have been recently reclassified and include pemphigoid (herpes) gestationis, polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (syn. pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, and atopic eruption of pregnancy. They are associated with severe pruritus that should never be neglected in pregnancy but always lead to an exact work-up of the patient. Clinical characteristics, in particular timing of onset, morphology and localization of skin lesions are crucial for diagnosis which, in case of pemphigoid gestationis and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, will be confirmed by specific immunofluorescence and laboratory findings. While polymorphic and atopic eruptions of pregnancy are distressing only to the mother because of pruritus, pemphigoid gestationis may be associated with prematurity and small-for-date babies and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy poses an increased risk for fetal distress, prematurity, and stillbirth. Corticosteroids and antihistamines control pemphigoid gestationis, polymorphic and atopic eruptions of pregnancy; intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, in contrast, should be treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. This review will focus on the new classification of pregnancy dermatoses, discuss them in detail, and present a practical algorithm to facilitate the management of the pregnant patient with skin lesions.