[Linear scleroderma in children (apropos of 27 cases)]. / Sclérodermie en bande chez l'enfant (à propos de 27 cas).

Twenty-seven cases of linear morphoea are reported and compared with 218 cases collected from the literature. The various parameters studied, including clinical features and laboratory results, were identical in both series. The aetiology of linear morphoea is unknown, even though injuries or fever have been noted as triggering factors in 20 p. 100 of the cases. Linear morphoea is a childhood disease: it begins at the age of 7 or 8 and predominates in females (63 p. 100 of the cases). Its onset is marked by the abrupt occurrence of sclerosis in most cases, although a solitary morphoea or a trophic plaque may precede the disease proper. In our series, muscular or articular involvement appeared from the start in 40 p. 100 of the patients at the same time as the initial cutaneous lesions. The active stage lasts 3 years and sometimes longer. It is characterized by extension (37 p. 100) or both extension and multiplication (63 p. 100) of the initial lesions. Regional complications aggravate linear morphoea and are more frequent in patients whose lesions extend and multiply. Their incidence was lower among the published cases than in our series. Depending on the author, retractile myositis is present in 37 to 59 p. 100 of the cases, joint stiffness in 18 to 40 p. 100 and shortening of a limb in 10 to 22 p. 100. These complications often regress incompletely, leaving sequelae which persist in the steady state in 75 p. 100 of the patients. Antinuclear antibodies, present in 37 p. 100 of the cases, are either of the homogeneous or of the speckled type. Jablonska has met them more frequently (50 p. 100), and they were often of the speckled type. The significance of these antibodies in linear morphoea is unclear since they appear inconstantly and later than clinical signs. The skin lesions associated with linear morphoea show that the other forms of scleroderma--i.e. plaque morphoea, erythematous atrophic or dyschromic plaques and guttate scleroderma--belong to the same family. The same associations are found in frontoparietal "coup de sabre" scleroderma. The treatment of linear morphoea is not yet standardized. At the moment, the best and most regular results are obtained with systemic corticosteroids and local physiotherapy.

[Centrifugal annular erythema and African trypanosomiasis. Trypanid ]. / Eritema anular centrífugo y tripanosomiasis africana. Tripanide.

The skin symptoms of trypanosomiasis in children are reviewed following report of one case of African trypanosomiasis (T. Gambiense). Trypanids, existing in 10-20% of patients during blood and lymphatic dissemination, appear are transient centrifugal annular erythemas made of few elements located on the trunk and roots of arms and thighs. Centrifugal annular erythema in a context of severe infections disease in a exposed subject coming from and endemic zone constitutes a characteristic diagnostic element.

[Vitiligoid achromias and severe atopic dermatitis. Apropos of 4 cases]. / Achromies vitiligoïdes et dermatite atopique grave. A propos de quatre cas.

Four patients with important and disabling atopic dermatitis persisting during adulthood have presented leucodermia in certain areas of eczema. As melanosomes and melanocytes have totally disappeared in these regions, this depigmentation corresponds thus to an achromia. Clinically, we noted macular achromia with hyperpigmented border of special topography since touching pleat regions initially present eczema lesions: anterior face of wrists and footnecks. Slight lichenification is noted in achromic regions. In spite of many analogies with vitiligo, we differentiate this achromia from vitiligo on the basis of absence of familial post-history and absence of new localisations after 5 to 6 years cause. A review of depigmentations described during atopic dermatitis does not show similar facts. Depigmentation induced by local steroid therapy does not give such clinical and ultrastructural aspects. In 3 patients, there was no local application of depigmenting agent. In one case, 8-oxyquinoleine was applied transiently. Vitiliginous achromias of pleat regions initially presenting important atopic dermatitis are probably due to multifactorial factors: possible factors are inflammation and secondary epidermal modification due to local steroid therapy and may be some excipients. Being a rare situation in atopy, we have registered it only 14 times in 860 followed atopic dermatitis. The study of series of atopic dermatitis followed on a long-term basis should allow to evaluate the frequency of such incidents and the respective role of aetiological factors with we suspect.

[Bullous and hereditary Weary-Kindler's acrokeratotic poikiloderma (author's transl)]. / Acrokératose poïkilodermique bulleuse et héréditaire de Weary-Kindler.

Two observations of hereditary and bullous acrokeratotic poikiloderma of Weary and Kindler are studied. They are transmitted in dominance on two generations. The neonatal presentation of the first observation makes us discuss an epidermolysis bullosa; but the spontaneous regression, the appearance of a reticular pigmentation and the analysis of the paternal dyschromia allow the correction of the diagnosis. Forty-one observations are actually known. The blisters are present in 95 p. 100 of the cases, the dyschromia in 90 p. 100 and the keratosis on 60 p. 100. The trisymptomatic and bisymptomatic forms prevail. The mechanism of the disease is unrecognized but the vacuolization of the basal epidermic cells seems to be at the origin of the bullous eruption.

[Native favus in Poitou. About 3 cases (author's transl)]. / Favus autochtone dans le Poitou: à propos de 3 cas.

Three cases of tinea favus of pityriasic aspect and without a "scutulum" sign are diagnosed in a small town of "Poitou" region. They correspond to an autochtonal focus. The various enquiries show that favus has become rare in France but the local focus as are still active, since 43 p. 100 of recorded favus are of local origin.