ABSTRACT
Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic cutaneous infection caused by Leishmania parasite. The histopathology is usually granulomatous in nature. Aims: The aim of the present study is to elucidate the histology of CL and evaluate the presence and the frequency of panniculitis among the affected patients. Settings and Design: Case series interventional study. Materials and Methods: Thirty‑five patients with CL were diagnosed clinically between December‑2012 and May‑2013. Diagnostic confirmation established by smears, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The histopathological assessment was carried out to study the general pathology and to look for the presence of panniculitis. Statistical Analysis Used: Simple statistics utilized via SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, USA). Results: Eighteen women and 17 men with CL were enrolled in the present work with a mean duration of their disease was 3 months. The results of the diagnostic tests were as follow: The smear was positive in 21 (60%) of cases, Leishman‑Donovan (LD) bodies were seen in 7 (20%) patients, culture was positive in 24 (68%), and PCR was positive in 32 (91.4%) patients. The epidermal changes included acanthosis, pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, ulceration, focal spongiosis, and interface dermatitis while the dermal changes were dependent on the spectrum of the disease, so in the ulcerative lesions there was lymphohistiocytic infiltration with foci of plasma cells and sometimes aggregate of LD bodies, whereas in the dry lesions the pathology is mainly of epithelioid granuloma. Panniculitis was seen in 16 (46%) cases as a diffuse lymphohistiocytic infiltration of both the septum and lobules of the subcutaneous layer of the skin. Conclusion: Panniculitis is an important feature of CL that must be differentiated from other diseases that can simulate CL such as chronic skin infections, Discoid lupus erythematosus, and cutaneous lymphoma.
ABSTRACT
El cuerno cutáneo es un diagnóstico clínico que describe una lesión hiperqueratósica con forma de cuerno.El presente estudio determina las características del cuerno cutáneo según sexo, rango de edad, localización anatómica, diagnóstico histológico y presencia de malignidad en una serie de 93 casos. El promedio de edad de la muestra fue de 67,9 años. El 59,1 por ciento de las lesiones se localizó en la cara, especialmente en las mejillas. El 61,3 por ciento de los cuernos cutáneos fue benigno y el 38,7 por ciento fue no-benigno, siendo el 25,8 por ciento lesiones malignas in situ y el 12,9 por ciento, malignas. No existió diferencia según sexo. El total de las lesiones malignas se presentó en la cabeza. El diagnóstico histológico más frecuente fue el de verruga vulgar (28,0 por ciento). La lesión maligna más frecuente fue el carcinoma espinocelular (10,8 por ciento), más común en mayores de 70 años. La prevalencia de lesiones malignas in situ o malignas fue de 66,7 por ciento en mayores de 70 años versus 15,7 por ciento en menores de 70 años (p < 0,001).La importancia del cuerno cutáneo radica en la patología que le subyace. En mayores de 70 años la probabilidad de tener una lesión no-benigna (maligna in situ o maligna) es mayor que en pacientes más jóvenes.
Cutaneous horn is a clinical diagnosis that describes an hyperkeratotic lesion with shape a horn.This study describes the characteristics of cutaneous horns according to sex, age, localization, histological diagnosis and the presence of malignancy in a series of 93 cases.The mean age of the sample was 67.9 years. 59.1 percent of the lesions were localized on the face, especially on the cheeks. 61.3 percent of cutaneous horns were benign and 38.7 percent were non-benign. 25.8 percent were malignant in situ and 12.9 percent malignant lesions. There was no difference among sexes. All malignant lesions were localized on the head. The most common histological diagnosis was warts (28.0 percent). The most common malignant lesion was squamous cell carcinoma (10.8 percent), which was more frequent in patients older than 70 years. In patients older than 70 years, the prevalence of malignant in situ or malignant lesions was 66.7 percent, versus 15.7 percent in younger patients (p < 0,001).The importance of cutaneous horns is the nature of its underlying disease. In patients older than 70 years, the probability of having a non-benign lesion (malignant in situ or malignant) is higher than in younger patients.Key words: Cutaneous horn, cutaneous biopsy, squamous cell carcinoma.