Mild generalised pustular psoriasis patient with a heterozygous hypomorphic MPO variant successfully treated with granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis.

Pathogenic variants in MPO, which encodes the myeloperoxidase, were reported as causative genetic defects in several cases of generalised pustular psoriasis (GPP) in addition to patients with myeloperoxidase deficiency in 2020. However, which clinical subtypes of GPP patients have pathogenic variants in MPO remains largely undetermined, and elucidating this is clinically important. The present report outlines a mild case of GPP with a rare missense heterozygous variant, c.1810C>T p.(Arg604Cys), in MPO. Our structural analysis and functional assays to measure myeloperoxidase activity suggest that the present MPO substitution is a hypomorphic variant in MPO. Thus, the mild phenotype of the present GPP patient might be associated with an incomplete hypomorphic loss-of-function variant in MPO. Additionally, the severe intractable edematous pustules and erythema improved dramatically after five rounds of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) therapy. This is the first report of GMA treatment for GPP associated with a pathogenic variant in MPO, as far as we know. Our findings suggest that GMA might be a useful and powerful tool for controlling GPP in patients with myeloperoxidase deficiency.

Darier disease successfully treated with a topical agent containing vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), vitamin E, and urea.

Darier disease (DD), also called keratosis follicularis, is an autosomal dominant hereditary keratinization disorder that manifests as keratotic papules with plaques in seborrheic areas. There are no validated curative treatments for DD, with the majority of cases treated symptomatically. We report the efficacy of a topical over-the-counter agent which contains retinyl palmitate, vitamin E, and urea for a patient with DD. A 13-year-old girl had brown papules on her scalp, neck, shoulders, and axillae since entering elementary school. A skin biopsy revealed hyperkeratosis, suprabasal acantholysis, and dyskeratosis manifested as corps ronds and grains in the epidermis. Sanger sequencing found the previously reported heterozygous mutation c.1484C>T in ATP2A2. The application of an over-the-counter topical agent containing retinyl palmitate 2750 µg/g (5000 IU/g), tocopheryl acetate 20 mg/g, urea 200 mg/g, and monoammonium glycyrrhizinate 5 mg/g twice daily for 2 months improved the papules without serious adverse events. Oral or topical aromatic vitamin A analogs (retinoids) are often used to treat DD. However, several adverse events are associated with retinoid treatment, and many patients only undergo their intermittent use or discontinue the treatments. Retinyl palmitate is more stable and has a lower irritative profile than other retinoic acids. When applied topically, however, retinyl palmitate cannot penetrate the skin as well as retinol can. Some reports have noted that vitamin E increases the biological availability of vitamin A and that urea helps mechanical percutaneous drug delivery. Our case suggests that retinyl palmitate has a sufficient therapeutic effect when combined with vitamin E and urea. In conclusion, we propose that topical agents containing retinyl palmitate, vitamin E, and urea might have a satisfactory effect on the skin lesions of DD patients, without the serious risks of adverse events.

Low plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with poor prognosis in cutaneous angiosarcoma of the head and neck.

Angiosarcoma of the head and neck (ASHN) is one of the most aggressive malignancies of the skin, but the prognostic factors are not well known because of its rarity. Recently, high plasma fibrinogen levels were reported to predict poor prognosis in several malignancies. In the present retrospective study, we suggest that low plasma fibrinogen levels predict poor prognosis for ASHN.