Rosacea: an update.

Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin disease affecting the central face of adults. Its etiology is unknown. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, usually with topical or systemic antibiotics or both, minimizes symptoms and helps to prevent complications.

Cutaneous (non-HIV) infections.

Cutaneous infections continue to represent a large proportion of inpatient dermatology. Though most infectious skin diseases do not warrant hospitalization, some do and can rapidly become fatal if not treated promptly. A selected group of infections are reviewed--primary cutaneous infections, exotoxin-mediated syndromes, and systemic infections--that warrant hospitalization. Dermatologists play a critical role in the synthesis of patient history and appreciation of morphologic skin disease, which, when coupled with appropriate lab tests, may help to establish a diagnosis allowing for the timely implementation of effective and targeted therapy.

New and emerging therapies in infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases account for one-third of all deaths worldwide. The last decade has yielded significant advances in the treatment of infectious skin diseases. This article highlights emerging therapies for viral, fungal, bacterial, and parasitic skin cutaneous infections.

Infectious diseases.

Approximately 5% of the general population develops a skin infection each year, leading to a significant number of outpatient visits to the primary care physician. Bacteria, infestations, fungi, yeasts, and viruses are organisms that present with a myriad of cutaneous findings that pose a challenge to the investigating clinician. This article provides a contemporary review of these skin infections, with particular emphasis on clinical features, and a concise, updated review on therapies.

Necrolytic migratory erythema: a report of three cases.

Necrolytic migratory erythema (NME) is a cutaneous reaction pattern with specific histopathologic features that is typically associated with a functioning pancreatic islet cell neoplasm such as a glucagonoma. Three examples of NME, each associated with a different cause, are presented: glucagonoma, pancreatic insufficiency, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. All three patients were successfully treated by surgical resection of the pancreatic tumor, total parenteral nutrition and pancreatic enzyme replacement, or a strict gluten-free diet, respectively. All remain free of skin disease more than 2 years later. Any patient with NME should be evaluated for glucagonoma and small bowel disease that may be associated with malabsorption and malnutrition.

Mycobacterial skin disease: approaches to therapy.

Many mycobacteria, including M tuberculosis, M leprae, and several atypical organisms, produce skin disease. Chemotherapy is necessary for most infections. Surgery may be helpful for some atypical infections.

Wegener's granulomatosis: cutaneous and oral mucosal disease.

BACKGROUND: Wegener's granulomatosis is a complex disease that can be difficult to diagnose, especially if the classic triad of necrotizing granulomas of the respiratory tract, generalized vasculitis, and glomerulitis are not present. A delay in diagnosis may result in irreversible kidney damage and ultimately death. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to identify clinical and histologic findings of the skin and oral mucosa that may aid in the diagnosis of this disease. METHODS: The records of 40 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis were reviewed. RESULTS: Of these patients 12 had cutaneous lesions, 2 had oral mucosal lesions, and 2 had both cutaneous and oral mucosal lesions. Cutaneous and oral mucosal lesions were a presenting sign in 10% and 5% of patients, respectively. Overall, 25% demonstrated at least one of the specific cutaneous histopathologic findings described for Wegener's granulomatosis, that is, necrotizing vasculitis, granulomatous vasculitis, and palisading granuloma. One patient had gingival hyperplasia with petechiae, considered to be pathognomonic for Wegener's granulomatosis. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that cutaneous or oral mucosal findings may serve as valuable diagnostic aids when evaluating a patient suspected of having Wegener's granulomatosis.

Diffuse dermal histiocytosis. A variant of generalized granuloma annulare.

A young man had asymptomatic, confluent, annular erythematous/violaceous plaques on the trunk and extremities. Pathology showed a moderately dense dermal infiltrate of spindle cells characterized as non-X histiocytes by immunohistology and ultrastructural analysis. We believe this is an unusual form of diffuse histiocytosis and should be classified as a variant of generalized granuloma annulare.

Tinea capitis in three adults.

Three cases of tinea capitis in healthy adults are presented. In light of the very low incidence (less than 1%) of tinea capitis in nonimmunocompromised adults and the possibility of contagion from asymptomatic dermatophyte carriers in the pediatric and adult populations, the necessity for heightened clinical suspicion and diagnostic tenacity in the evaluation of adults with scalp dermatitis and/or alopecia for possible tinea capitis is underscored.

Mucocutaneous presentations of Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease is an idiopathic inflammatory process that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. Numerous extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease involving the skin and mucous membranes have been reported in patients with documented intestinal disease. We report here on two patients who presented with multiple manifestations of Crohn's disease before intestinal disease was diagnosed. We review the mucocutaneous manifestations of Crohn's disease with an emphasis on presentations that precede gastrointestinal involvement.

Fixed drug eruption from pamabrom.

A young woman presented with recurrent skin lesions that were predominantly perioral. Fixed drug reaction was diagnosed based on her history of intermittent ingestion of Pamprin, a common menstrual symptom reliever, and characteristic erythematous, pigmented, edematous patches. After oral challenge with two of the three ingredients in Pamprin, a diagnosis of fixed drug reaction to pamabrom was made. Pamabrom is a mild diuretic present in several over-the-counter and prescription menstrual symptom relievers. This is the first reported case of fixed drug reaction to pamabrom.

Myelodysplastic syndrome and transient acantholytic dermatosis.

Focal acantholytic dyskeratosis consistent with the clinical and histological features of Darier's type of transient acantholytic dermatosis occurred in a man with myelodysplasia. Topical steroids and systemic antihistamines provided temporary and moderate relief from pruritus, but failed to control the dermatosis.

Case report and review of resolved fusariosis.

Erythematous macules, nonpalpable and palpable purpura, and flaccid pustules developed in a 59-year-old man with acute lymphocytic leukemia 8 days after reinduction chemotherapy with cytosine arabinoside and daunorubicin. Tissue and blood cultures grew Fusarium proliferatum, and a skin biopsy specimen revealed fungal vasculitis. Anemia and muscle weakness accompanied the disseminated infection, for which the patient received granulocyte transfusions and amphotericin B, ketoconazole, rifampin, and griseofulvin. Skin lesions and fungemia resolved with recovery of the bone marrow, and 51 days after the completion of his chemotherapy he returned home. If promptly recognized and aggressively treated, disseminated fusariosis is responsive to therapy. Infection with Fusarium species should be suspected in profoundly neutropenic patients in whom disseminated palpable purpura and myositis develop concomitantly.