Livedo reticularis with ulcerations

Idiopathic livedo reticularis may be associated with ulcerations of the lower extremities beginning primarily during the warmer or summer months, as well as the more usual occurrence of winter ulcerations. Summer ulceration apparently is a new and rare entity which has many clinical and histopathologic features similar to winter ulcerations. Hypertension, Raynaud's phenomena, acrocyanosis and thrombosis of digital arteries were noted only in patients with winter ulcerations, while edema of the legs and feet was a more prominent feature in patients with summer ulcerations. Medical treatment, including rest in bed, elastic supportive bandages and a trial of hexamethonium (bistrium bromide) injections, seemed to be the treatment of choice. Lumbar sympathectomy did not seem to be of great permanent value.

Covid-19 pandemic and the skin

In the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, skin manifestations, if present, were not paid enough attention. Then, the focus moved toward the impact of the prolonged use of personal protective measures in both healthcare workers and patients. In the meantime, attention is increasingly paid to dermatology as a result of the concern for certain groups of dermatologic patients, including those whose condition may worsen by the thorough disinfection measures and those treated with immunosuppressants or immunomodulators. Following patients with psoriasis on biological therapy, as well as other inflammatory and autoimmune cutaneous disorders such as atopic dermatitis, pemphigus, pemphigoid diseases, and skin cancer provoked the interest of dermatologists. Finally, an intriguing question to the dermatologic society was whether skin changes during COVID-19 infection exist and what could be their diagnostic or prognostic value. Here, we summarize skin conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, patient information, and expert recommendations and give an overview about the registries launched to document skin changes during COVID-19, as well as details about certain patient groups infected with SARS-CoV-2, for example, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and autoimmune bullous diseases.

Ocular Manifestations of Cutis Marmorata Telangiectatica Congenita

PURPOSE

To describe the range of ocular manifestations in cutis marmorata telangectatica congenita (CMTC).

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective, nonconsecutive case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with a diagnosis of CMTC referred for ophthalmologic evaluation between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2018.

METHODS

Evaluation of ocular findings at presentation, systemic manifestations suggestive of a diagnosis of CMTC, genetic testing, and visual outcomes after treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Visual acuity, findings on ophthalmoscopy, and results of fluorescein angiography.

RESULTS

Nine patients with CMTC diagnosed clinically based on stereotypical cutaneous vascular malformations were included. The median age at presentation was 8 weeks (range, 2 weeks-4 years). Six patients were female and 3 were male. Avascular retina was identified on dilated fundus examination, fluorescein angiography, or both in 11 eyes of 6 patients. Retinal neovascularization was present bilaterally in 2 patients at presentation. One patient demonstrated retinal venous tortuosity, and another patient showed mild straightening of nasal retinal vessels in both eyes. Two patients (2 eyes) demonstrated retinal detachment (RD). Both were managed surgically. One infant demonstrated RD, whereas the other child showed extensive neovascularization and later progressed to combined tractional-rhegmatogenous detachment. A unique constellation of lacy peripheral capillary anomalies with prominent terminal vascular bulbs was noted in 3 patients. Granular pigment abnormalities were noted in the macula in 5 patients. Two patients demonstrated glaucoma, 1 requiring surgical intervention. Two patients demonstrated features of Adams-Oliver syndrome, with genetic testing identifying a Notch1 mutation in 1 patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Retinal vascular abnormalities in CMTC may occur more frequently than recognized previously. Given the variability of ocular involvement and the potential for rapidly progressive retinal vascular abnormalities and development of RD, complete ophthalmologic evaluation including measurement of intraocular pressure, gonioscopy, dilated fundus examination, and fluorescein angiography is recommended in infants with suspected CMTC shortly after birth. The distinct pattern of lacy capillary anomalies with prominent terminal bulbs seen in CMTC has not been described in other syndromes of vascular dysgenesis. Therefore, ophthalmic examination may be a valuable method to distinguish CMTC from other disorders demonstrating similar dermatologic and systemic manifestations.

Complications of infantile hemangiomas

Most infantile hemangiomas have a spontaneous and uneventful involution and, hence, may be treated expectantly. Others, however, will present some complication along their evolution that may require prompt therapeutic interventions. Ulceration is the most common complication, and amblyopia is frequently associated with periocular tumors. Airways hemangiomas may be life-threatening, and disfigurement can heavily impact the patient's quality of life.

Fluorescein angiogram findings in a case of cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita

Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita is a well-characterized cutaneous vascular disorder with variable and rare ocular involvement. It has been reported in association with glaucoma, bilateral congenital retinal detachments, bilateral tractional retinal detachments secondary to proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and retinoblastoma. This case demonstrates novel findings of bilateral peripheral retinal vascular abnormalities and retinal nonperfusion on fluorescein angiography without retinal detachment that have not previously been described in cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita. Laser photocoagulation was applied to areas of retinal nonperfusion with stability in the retinal pathology at follow-up examination 3 months later.

Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathway Assessment in Antiphospholipid Antibody-Positive Patients with Livedo

OBJECTIVE

In antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) nephropathy, activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) contributes to endothelial cell proliferation, a key finding of aPL microvascular disease. Here, we examined mTOR activation in the skin of aPL-positive patients with livedo.

METHODS

Three patient groups with livedo were studied: (1) persistently aPL-positive with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); (2) persistently aPL-positive without SLE; and (3) aPL-negative SLE (control). After collecting aPL-related medical history, two 5-mm skin biopsies of livedo were performed on each patient: (1) peripheral (erythematous-violaceous lesion); and (2) central (nonviolaceous area). We stained specimens for phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT) and phosphorylated S6 ribosomal protein (p-S6RP) as mTOR activity markers, CD31 to identify endothelial cells, and Ki-67 to show cellular proliferation. We counted cells in the epidermis and compared mTOR-positive cell counts between peripheral and central samples, and between patient groups, using Freidman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

RESULTS

Ten patients with livedo reticularis were enrolled: 4 aPL-positive without SLE (antiphospholipid syndrome [APS] classification met, n = 3), 4 aPL-positive SLE (APS classification met, n = 3), and 2 aPL-negative SLE (control). In all aPL-positive patients, epidermal p-AKT and p-S6RP staining were significantly increased in both peripheral and central skin samples when compared to aPL-negative SLE controls; both were more pronounced in the lower basal layers of epidermis.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates increased mTOR activity in livedoid lesions of aPL-positive patients with or without SLE compared to aPL-negative patients with SLE, with more prominent activity in the lower basal layers of the epidermis. These findings may serve as a basis for further investigating the mTOR pathway in aPL-positive patients.

Mosaic pathogenic variants in AKT3 cause capillary malformation and undergrowth

Capillary malformations are slow-flow vascular malformations that affect the microcirculation including capillaries and post capillary venules and can be associated with growth differences. Specifically, the association of capillary malformations with undergrowth is a vastly understudied vascular syndrome with few reports of genetic causes including PIK3CA, GNAQ, and GNA11. Recently, a somatic pathogenic variant in AKT3 was identified in one child with a cutaneous vascular syndrome similar to cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita, undergrowth, and no neurodevelopmental features. Here, we present a male patient with a capillary malformation and undergrowth due to a somatic pathogenic variant in AKT3 to confirm this association. It is essential to consider that mosaic pathogenic variants in AKT3 can cause a wide spectrum of disease. There is a need for future studies focusing on capillary malformations with undergrowth to understand the underlying mechanism.

Renal lymphangiomatosis, interrupted IVC with persistent primitive hepatic venous plexus and multiple anomalous venous channels: parts of an overlap syndrome?

A 5-year-old girl with cutis marmorata telangiectasia congenita (CMTC) and congenital glaucoma, who had previously presented with seizures, transient hemiplegia, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hemihypertrophy, developed a large pleural effusion. Subsequent imaging revealed renal lymphangiomatosis, multiple anomalous intra-abdominal venous channels, an interrupted inferior vena cava with a persistent primitive hepatic venous plexus (PPHVP) and meningeal angiomas. To the best of our knowledge, the CT findings of PPHVP and the combination of the demonstrated abnormalities have not been previously reported. They may represent an overlap syndrome of CMTC, Sturge-Weber syndrome and Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. The complexity and degree of overlap highlights the importance of an accurate clinical and anatomical description and good communication among clinicians.

Outcomes of Infantile-Onset Glaucoma Associated With Port Wine Birthmarks and Other Periocular Cutaneous Vascular Malformation

PURPOSE

The incidence of infantile-onset secondary glaucoma associated with periocular cutaneous vascular malformations is high and the outcomes of these glaucomatous eyes have anecdotally been poor. The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomic and visual outcomes of affected eyes.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with early-onset (younger than 36 months of age) glaucoma associated with cutaneous vascular malformations from 1995‒2015 were included.

RESULTS

Seventeen eyes of 13 patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SW, n = 10), Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (KTW, n = 1), cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC, n = 1), and phakomatosis pigmentovascularis (PPV, n = 1) were included. Three SW and 1 KTW patient had bilateral glaucoma. At presentation, mean age was 6.5 ± 9.1 months and mean intraocular pressure was 27.2 ± 6.13 mm Hg. The average number of surgical procedures per eye increased from 1.0 ± 0.5 (range, 0‒2) at less than 5 years' follow-up (9 eyes) to 3.5 ± 2.3 (range, 1‒7) with at least 5 years' follow-up (8 eyes). Visual acuity was better than or equal to 20/70 in 2 of 6 eyes (33%) with less than 5 years' follow-up and in 3 of 7 eyes (43%) with at least 5 years' follow-up. Additionally, a higher number of baseline risk factors correlated with poorer visual outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

After a mean follow-up of 6.6 years, visual outcome in infantile-onset secondary glaucoma associated with cutaneous periocular vascular malformation is guarded. Increased numbers of baseline risk factors and procedures are associated with poorer vision.

Retinal abnormalities in a patient with cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita

Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita is a rare congenital vascular malformation characterised by cutaneous vascular abnormalities, typically diagnosed at birth or in the early postnatal period. Although typically benign, this disease is associated with other systemic abnormalities, including rare ocular alterations, such as congenital glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy.This manuscript describes a female infant, who presented with generalised livedo reticularis, a band of alopecia and cutaneous atrophy in the temporal region above the coronal suture. The patient was diagnosed with cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita by a paediatrician, and an ophthalmological evaluation was requested. A funduscopy examination in both eyes showed temporal and superior retina with avascular areas with new vessels, venous dilations and shunts, and no retinal detachments. Given these findings, we performed retinal photocoagulation laser treatment with excellent results.This case report highlights the importance of early ophthalmological evaluation of children with this disease to prevent secondary complications, such as vitreous haemorrhage and tractional retinal detachment.

Born in the Purple: An Exceptional Case of Cutis Marmorata Telangiectatica Congenita

A full-term, 2-day-old female neonate with a congenital non-tender reticular patch that did not disappear with local warming was referred to our department for consultation. The family history as well as the antenatal course and delivery were unremarkable. On examination, we evidenced a fixed, marbled, bluish to deep purple lesion with a fishnet appearance extending over the right side of her body, face, and scalp. There was presence of atrophy of the involved skin, along with ulceration above the right lateral malleolus. Upon blanching, the lesions could not be emptied completely. Routine laboratory studies, chest X-rays, and abdominal and cranial ultrasound scan results were nonsignificant. Head and limb circumferences were within normal ranges. The patient was checked by the ophthalmology and neurology department to screen for associated anomalies, which were not detected. Based on the medical history and clinical presentation, the diagnosis of cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita was established. The infant's parents were reassured about the benign nature of the cutaneous disorder as well as the need for periodic follow-up on an outpatient basis. Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC), first described by the Dutch pediatrician Van Lohuizen in 1922, is an exceedingly rare congenital sporadic condition with fewer than 300 cases described in the medical literature to date. Affected infants have discolored vascular patches of skin with a blue-violet marbled appearance. The disorder may present with a segmental or generalized persistent reticular mottling but more frequently has localized distribution over the lower limbs (1,2). Skin lesions are reminiscent of cutis marmorata, a common benign response observed in infants, which resolves with warming of the skin surface. In contrast, CMTC lesions do not disappear with rewarming and occasionally present with ulceration and atrophy of the involved skin (aplasia cutis) (1,3). Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita is described as occuring in association with a plethora of extracutaneous malformations, including undergrowth or overgrowth of the involved extremity, ocular and neurological abnormalities, growth and developmental delays, as well as additional vascular anomalies. The pathogenesis is not fully elucidated, but a lethal gene hypothesis has been suggested by some authors, while others indicate that the disorder may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with low penetrance (1,2,4). Skin biopsy is nonspecific and differential diagnosis is rarely difficult due to the distinctive appearance of cutaneous lesions, and the diagnosis can thus be established on clinical grounds alone. CMTC can be associated with other congenital syndromes including phacomatosis pigmentovascularis and Adams-Oliver syndrome (2,4). Cutaneous lesions carry a good prognosis and show a tendency for fading or spontaneous resolution over the first years of life in most cases, but the extremity discrepancy tends to persist. A thorough screening for associated anomalies as well as annual controls of skin changes and psychomotor development of the patients should be performed (2-3).

Concurrent Sturge-Weber syndrome, facial infantile hemangioma, and cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita

We present a unique case of 3 vascular malformations-Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), facial infantile hemangioma (IH), and cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC)-with dermatologic manifestations presenting in the same patient. This case highlights the possibility of occurrence of multiple vascular malformations in the same patient; the potential role of epigenetic factors; and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose, treat, and manage this complicated interplay of vascular abnormalities to achieve the best outcome.