[ epidemio clinical of lichen sclerosus about 31 cases]

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease. Through a retrospective study of all patients with Lichen sclerosus followed between 1997 and 2005 at the dermatology department of La Rabta hospital, we outline the epidemio-clinical aspects of this entity. There were 29 female and two male. Two patients were child. The mean age at the occurrence of adult lichen sclerosus was 51, 5 years. The site of the lesions was perineum and genital in 26 cases [one male and 25 female]. Extragenital involvement was present in 10 patients. All patients underwent topical corticosteroid therapy. Architectural changes of vulva were noted in 7 cases. An epidermoid carcinoma occurred in five patients. The male Lichen sclerosus seem to be rare in our study. It is probably explained by the protective role of the circumcision which is practised in all male children in our country. In our study, the risk of malignant transformation of genital Lichen sclerosus is estimated at 19, 2%. It is lightly more than mentioned in the literature. This may be related to the cofactor role of l-IPV and to an insufficient treatment adherence

[Erythema nodosum: profile in a Tunisian teaching hospital]

Background: Erythema nodosum [EN] is the most frequent acute nodular hypodermatitis. Etiologies of EN are varied although a similar clinical presentation

The aim of our study is to establish epidemio-clinical characteristics of EN in 103 patients

Methods: [62 in care [January 1980-december 2005] were seen on the dermatology unit of the Rabta hospital. We have only included patients that had done: blood count, chest X-Ray, ASLO, tuberculin intradermoreaction, transaminase, inflammation marker

Results: We had 86 women and 17 men with a mean age of 36,5 years. Lesions were located in lower limbs in 88 cases. The man etiologies were: post streptococcal infections [42 cases], tuberculosis [8 cases], Crohn disease [8 cases], Behcet disease [7 cases] and sarcoidosis [5 cases]. EN was idiopathic in 23 patients. The most common provoking agent of EN varies from a country to another and even in the same country from a study to another. In Tunisia, post streptococcal infection and Behcet disease still frequent etiologies for EN, sarcoidosis and inflammatory colites are more and more found unlike tuberculosis which is less incriminated than before. In case of EN it is reasonable to begin etiological enquiry by common causes

[Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans about 18 cases]

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans [DFSP] is a rare mesenchyma skin tumor. It is characterized by a slow growth with a high rate of recurrence but limited potential for metastasis. We report the result of a retrospective study of 18 cases of DFSP collected over 16 years in the dermatology department of La Rabta Hospital. The mean age was 32 years with a sex ratio of 1.57. The site of predilection was the trunk [77.5%]. Histological features were typical in all cases with positivity for CD34 in 14 cases. Treatment was surgical in 13 cases. DFSP is a tumor of intermediate malignancy, which can have aggressive course. This tumor is best treated with surgery in which large excision are necessary to reduce the risk of recurrence