ABSTRACT
Acne fulminans is the most aggressive and destructive form of acne vulgaris, being also known as acne maligna. The onset is acute and systemic involvement is always present. Most commonly, acne fulminans (AF) occurs in male adolescents as a brutal complication of a preexisting mild or moderate acne. The etiology of AF remains incompletely elucidated. The skin lesions are polymorphic, the symptoms and clinical signs vary, and thus the diagnosis is not easy. In making a certain diagnosis of AF, histopathology has a decisive role. In this respect, we will present some of the most suggestive aspects of histopathology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy in a 16-year-old patient clinically diagnosed with AF. This patient presented on admission nodular inflammatory and ulcerative necrotic lesions on the face and chest, extremely, accompanied by significant myalgias and arthralgias.
Subject(s)
Acne Vulgaris/pathology , Adolescent , Biomarkers/metabolism , Epithelioid Cells/pathology , Giant Cells/pathology , Humans , Hypertrophy , Immunohistochemistry , Macrophages/pathology , MaleABSTRACT
AIM: To present the clinical and laboratory features of patients with dermatologic disorders associated with thyroid diseases, diagnostic criteria, type of administered treatment and its effectiveness. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective study based on the medical records of patients with thyroid diseases admitted to the Dermato venereology Clinic of the Iasi "Sf. Spiridon" University Emergency Hospital between January 1, 2012-December 31, 2013. Data on clinical manifestations, methods of investigation, therapeutic approach, and associated dermatologic and systemic diseases were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 38 patients were enrolled in this study of which 36 females and two males. An high incidence of cases with autoimmune thyroiditis (63%), followed by polynodular goiter (26.3%) and hypothyroidism (10.7%) was found during the study. The identified dermatologic disorders associated with thyroid diseases were in order of frequency alopecia areata (22%), followed by lichen planus (18%). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that there is a significant association between certain dermatologic disorders and thyroid diseases, requiring periodic thyroid function tests.