Clinical and histopathological features of cutaneous manifestations of adult-onset Still disease

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a rare autoinflammatory syndrome characterized by recurring fevers, arthralgia, and consistent laboratory abnormalities that include leukocytosis and hyperferritinemia. Skin findings accompany the disease in nearly 90% of the cases. Early reports described evanescent, pruritic, salmon-pink or urticarial lesions, referred to as the typical eruption of AOSD. Histopathologic findings consist of superficial perivascular dermatitis with varying number of interstitial neutrophils. Later reports described a more persistent rash that tended to be photodistributed, hyperpigmented, often in a linear configuration, sometimes in a rippled pattern, referred to as the atypical eruption of AOSD. The presence of individual necrotic keratinocytes in the upper spinous layer has been the consistent histopathologic finding. The persistent rash may not represent an atypical presentation of AOSD as recent reports indicate a high prevalence of the rash. Emerging data also suggest that patients with persistent eruption have a worse prognosis. The recognition of the clinical and histopathological findings of skin eruptions of AOSD may facilitate an earlier diagnosis, potentially improving disease outcome. Herein, clinical and histopathological features of cutaneous manifestation of AOSD in 2 Asian women are highlighted accompanied by a relevant review of the disease.

Updates in adult-onset Still disease: Atypical cutaneous manifestations and associations with delayed malignancy

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that is clinically characterized by a heterogeneous constellation of symptoms and signs. Though an evanescent eruption is the classic cutaneous finding, recent literature has highlighted atypical rashes associated with Still disease. A second emerging concept in presentations of AOSD is its association with malignancy. This review focuses on these concepts: the clinical spectrum of atypical skin manifestations and AOSD as a paraneoplastic phenomenon. PubMed-MEDLINE was screened for peer-reviewed articles describing atypical presentations of AOSD and cases associated with malignancy. Erythematous, brown or violaceous, persistent papules and plaques were the most common cutaneous finding (28/30 [93%]). Linear configurations were also rarely described. Of these patients, 81% concurrently had the typical evanescent skin eruption. There were 31 patients with associated malignancies, most commonly breast cancer and lymphoma. The diagnosis of malignancy did not precede or immediately follow a clinical presentation otherwise consistent with AOSD in a considerable subset of patients (42%). Understanding the cutaneous spectrum of AOSD and heightened awareness for its delayed association with malignancy may lead to improved recognition of cutaneous variants and reinforce the need for diagnostic evaluation and long-term follow-up for malignancy in patients with this clinical presentation.

Cardiac myxoma causing acute ischemic stroke in a pediatric patient and a review of literature

BACKGROUND

Ischemic stroke in the pediatric population is a rare occurrence, and its possible causes span a wide differential that includes atrial myxomas. Myxomas are friable cardiac tumors that produce "showers" of emboli resulting in transient neurological deficits, cutaneous eruptions, and ophthalmologic deficits.

PATIENT

We present an 11-year-old boy with a months-long history of an intermittent spotted "rash" who presented with acute ischemic stroke caused by a left atrial myxoma. We also review clinical features in all 16 other cases of cardiac myxoma causing pediatric stroke reported in the literature.

RESULTS

Our case, along with the review of the literature, highlights the fact that myxomas often initially present as stroke with acute hemiplegia and transient cutaneous eruptions due to fragmentation of the tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiac myxoma should be considered in any child presenting with ischemic stroke, and transient skin findings may provide an important diagnostic clue prior to onset of neurological symptoms.