Acquired reactive perforating collagenosis: a clinicopathologic study of 15 cases from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Perforating dermatoses include a family of disease characterized by transepidermal elimination of collagen. Despite being described many years ago in association with systemic disease, it is still clinically misdiagnosed. OBJECTIVE: A retrospective clinical and pathologic review that will increase clinical and pathologic diagnostic awareness of this entity and explore associated systemic disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this report, we present from Saudi Arabia for the first time details of a series of patients seen at the King Abdulaziz Medical City, WR, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during the period 2002-2009. RESULTS: The study revealed 15 histologically confirmed cases of acquired reactive perforating collagenosis (ARPC). Patients were predominantly adult females with a mean age of 54 years. The lesions were pruritic, predominantly multiple, erythematous excoriated papules and umblicated nodules centrally crusted with an average duration of 6 months, involving the extremities with or without the trunk in 12 patients. Associated systemic disease included diabetes mellitus in 12 patients and chronic renal failure on dialysis in 8 patients. The provisional clinical differential diagnosis included perforating collagenosis in only eight patients. CONCLUSION: ARPC is not uncommon in Saudi Arabia. The noduloulcerative lesions involve predominantly the extremities, and diabetes mellitus is the most common associate. It is hoped that this article will increase awareness for recognition of this entity to start appropriate therapy.

Phytosociological studies of Citrullus colocyanthis L., growing in different altitudinal sites in Saudi Arabia.

The aim of the present study was to survey and record the plant species associated with Citrullus colocynthis in different altitudinal localities in the West of Saudi Arabia. Depending on the presence of Citrullus colocynthis L. species, seven stands on the West of Saudi Arabia; expending from 25 m up to 2220 m a.s.l. height and 330 km long were selected for this study. Soil samples were collected from the studied localities and the soil properties were investigated. Also, plant species associated with C. colocynthis were collected, recorded and prepared as herbarium specimens. The studied localities were represented by different ecological, geographical and edaphic sites. A list of 127 species belonging to 41 families present in all locations was recorded. Calotropis procera was the representative species with C. colocynthis in all localities. The percentage of presence of the associated species were different between species in each location and also from location to other. Three different ecological areas could be distinguished in the study area. The area near the red sea characterized by salty sandy soil and low vegetation represented the first area. The second one was the coastal plain and West slope which characterized by low rainfall and xerophytic plants. The third one was the mountainous area which characterized by high altitude, more rainfall and high density of vegetation.