A ten-year retrospective study on livedo vasculopathy in Asian patients
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
; : 400-406, 2012.
Article
in En
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-299614
Responsible library:
WPRO
ABSTRACT
<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>This study aims to analyse the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of Asian patients diagnosed with livedo vasculopathy (LV).</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with LV from 1997 to 2007 at our centre.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventy patients were diagnosed with LV with a mean age of 39 years, female: male ratio of 3:1 and no racial predilection. Most cases remained purely cutaneous, presenting with painful leg ulcers and atrophie blanche. Peripheral neuropathy was the only extra-cutaneous complication (9%). In patients who were screened, associations included hepatitis B (7%) and hepatitis C (4%), positive anti-nuclear antibody (14%), positive anti-myeloperoxidase antibody (5%), positive anti-cardiolipin antibodies (7%) and positive lupus anticoagulant (2%). In 49 patients who achieved remission, 55% required combination therapy, most commonly with colchicine, pentoxifylline and prednisolone. In those treated successfully with monotherapy, colchicine was effective in 59% followed by prednisolone (17.5%), pentoxifylline (17.5%) and aspirin (6%). Mean follow-up period was 50 months.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>LV in Asian patients is a high morbidity, chronic relapsing ulcerative skin condition. Most patients require induction combination therapy for remission. As further evidence emerges to support a procoagulant pathogenesis, a standardised protocol is needed to investigate for prothrombotic disorders during diagnosis.</p>
Full text:
1
Index:
WPRIM
Main subject:
Pathology
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Singapore
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Skin
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Time Factors
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Cellulitis
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Epidemiology
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Retrospective Studies
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Asian People
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Livedo Reticularis
Type of study:
Guideline
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Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
Year:
2012
Type:
Article