Etiology, classification, and treatment of urticaria.

Urticaria is among the most common skin diseases. It can be acute, chronic, mediated by a physical stimulus, or related to contact with an urticant. Some cases result from an underlying small vessel vasculitis. Our understanding of this condition is continuously expanding, and autoimmune mechanisms are now recognized as a cause of chronic urticaria. A search of the PubMed database (US National Library of Medicine) for "urticaria" yields more than 12,000 results. Our goal is to discuss the current understanding of the etiology, classification, and treatment alternatives. As the topic is comprehensive, our discussion will be limited to a concise review.

New lesions on the knees with palmoplantar keratoderma.

A 40-year-old Latin American woman presented for evaluation with a 5-week history of redness, thickened skin, and itching of the knees, as well as persistent redness and thickened skin of the palms and soles consistent with Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS). The article discusses the clinical presentation and treatment of PLS.

Piebaldism: a case report and a concise review of the literature.

Piebaldism is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by congenital poliosis and leukoderma. We present a case of a 10-year-old girl with a typical clinical presentation, followed by a concise review of the literature discussing the etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of the condition.

Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus: a case report and short review of the literature.

GOAL: To understand inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN) to better manage patients with the condition. OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this activity, dermatologists and general practitioners should be able to: 1. Describe the presenting characteristics of ILVEN. 2. Explain the differential diagnosis of ILVEN. 3: Discuss the treatment options for ILVEN.

Pemphigus foliaceus: a case report and short review.

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is a rare autoimmune blistering disease presenting in endemic and sporadic forms. The typical presentation is recurrent shallow erosions in a seborrheic distribution. We present a case of a 58-year-old woman with PF who was successfully treated with a combination of oral corticosteroids and dapsone. We also provide a concise review of the literature and discuss the etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of PF.

Infantile perineal protrusion.

Infantile perineal protrusion, a relatively newly recognized condition, is underreported in both the dermatologic and pediatric literature. The name "infantile perineal protrusion" has evolved based on the typical anatomic location, morphologic features, and prevalence in prepubertal children. It occurs in 3 settings: constitutional (sometimes genetic or familial); functional (after constipation, diarrhea, or other irritant exposure); or associated with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Recognition of infantile perineal protrusion by dermatologists and pediatricians has many implications regarding proper diagnosis and management. The condition may be mistaken for condyloma acuminata or as a sign of trauma, leading to an erroneous investigation of sexual abuse. In this article, we report two new cases and make a thorough review of the literature to elucidate the mechanisms, diagnosis, classification, and management to clarify this often misdiagnosed condition.

Crusted scabies: a clinical review.

Crusted scabies, a rare variant of classical scabies, is a highly contagious condition in which the skin is infected with thousands to millions of mites. It can be defined as a generalized severe scabies infestation usually affecting immunocompromised patients. The diagnosis is becoming more relevant with the increasing use of immunosuppressive medications and the HIV epidemic. To date, more than 200 cases have been reported in the literature. We present a review of the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostic considerations, and therapeutic options.