Subject(s)
Syphilis, Cutaneous , Syphilis, Cutaneous/diagnosis , Syphilis/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Granuloma/diagnosis , Humans , Lymphoma/diagnosis , Male , Middle Aged , Penicillin G Benzathine/therapeutic use , Sarcoidosis/diagnosis , Syphilis/drug therapy , Syphilis, Cutaneous/drug therapy , Tuberculosis, Cutaneous/diagnosisSubject(s)
Eosinophilic Granuloma/therapy , Biopsy , Bleomycin/administration & dosage , Cryosurgery , Eosinophilic Granuloma/diagnosis , Female , Fluorouracil/administration & dosage , Humans , Microscopy, Electron , Middle Aged , Scalp/pathology , Scalp Dermatoses/diagnosis , Scalp Dermatoses/therapy , Vinblastine/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Giant cell arteritis is a systemic disease usually occurring in patients in the fifth decade or older, more often in women. Dermatologic manifestations are rare but, when found, are usually expressed as scalp ulcerations or blanching associated with gangrene of the tongue. The dermatologist should be familiar with the entity because it is often more severe when associated with scalp necrosis, and prompt intervention with corticosteroids can prevent catastrophic sequelae.
Subject(s)
Alopecia/etiology , Giant Cell Arteritis/complications , Scalp Dermatoses/etiology , Skin Ulcer/etiology , Aged , Female , Humans , Scalp Dermatoses/pathology , Skin Ulcer/pathology , Temporal Arteries/pathologyABSTRACT
We present a patient with coccidioidal meningitis whose diagnosis was not confirmed until a skin biopsy was performed. Because he lived in an area where coccidioidomycosis is not endemic, his meningitis was at first attributed to tuberculosis or sarcoidosis. After a verrucous lesion from the face was biopsied and the diagnosis substantiated, the patient responded well to consolidation therapy consisting of intrathecal amphotericin B and oral ketoconazole.