[Multiple clear cell acanthomas]. / Multiple Klarzellakanthome.

Clear cell acanthoma is a rare, slow-growing benign epidermal tumour of adulthood. The prediction site of this usually solitary lesion is the distal part of the leg. Multiple clear cell acanthomas are very rare and are also found in other locations besides the typical site of predilection. In this paper we report on a 52-year-old man who--over a period of more than 20 years--had developed more than 100 of these tumours in all parts of his body. Although the histological diagnosis is easy, clinical recognition often proves difficult, especially in cases of multiple lesions. Different kinds of therapy for solitary and multiple lesions are discussed.

[Multicenter reticulohistiocytosis. Therapy with azathioprine and prednisolone]. / Die multizentrische Retikulohistiozytose. Therapie mit Azathioprin und Prednisolon.

A 86-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of painless reddish nodules on fingers, nose and earlobes, together with polyarthralgia that had pre-existed for 9 months before. The diagnosis of multicentric reticulohistiocytosis was confirmed by histology. No underlying malignancy was found. On administration of systemic prednisolone and azathioprine the skin lesions resolved and the joint symptoms cleared up completely. Therapeutic aspects are discussed.

Nickel sensitivity in atopics, psoriatics and healthy subjects.

A prospective study of 552 persons was performed to study nickel allergy in atopics, with and without dermatitis, psoriatics and healthy adults. We found no statistically-significant difference in the frequency of nickel allergy between persons with atopic dermatitis, atopics without dermatitis and healthy controls. More females than men gave a history of metal intolerance and gave allergic patch test reactions. A poor correlation between history and patch test reaction was not specific for atopics. Psoriatics had a significantly lower frequency of allergic patch test reactions to nickel than healthy controls or atopics with and without dermatitis. Psoriatics should not be used as controls for atopics in studies of contact dermatitis.

[Contact allergy to topical glucocorticoids]. / Kontaktallergie auf topische Glukokortikoide.

Three women with suspected contact allergies to topical corticosteroids had positive patch test reactions to amcinonide, triamcinolone acetonide and budesonide, two of them also reacted to tixocortol pivalate. Doubtful patch test results were seen on hydrocortisone and Alfasone cream. On performing a ROAT (repeated open application test) with amcinonide in all women we saw massive erythematous reactions and spreading urticaria. ROAT with Betnesol-V cream was negative. Two of the women, who were older, had multiple sensitization owing to long-term treatment of venous ulcers over many years. The third woman was young and had acquired the allergy through short-term treatment of prurigo with various topical corticosteroids. Contact allergy to topical corticosteroids is frequent and should be borne in mind in daily practice. Especially when chronic dermatitis is difficult to manage, cross reactions between chemically related corticosteroids should be considered.