[The disease under chronic urticaria: beyond itching]. / La enfermedad crónica bajo la urticaria: más allá del prurito.

BACKGROUND: Brief erythematous-papular skin rashes suggest the diagnosis of urticaria; However, it may be another type of dermatitis, and complementary examinations must be carried out to establish its diagnosis. CASE REPORT: 53-year-old female patient, diagnosed in 2016 with diffuse large B cell lymphoma, in complete remission. Since 2010, he has had episodes of erythematous-papular lesions lasting 24-36 hours. He received antihistamines, corticosteroids and omalizumab without clinical improvement. The ANA determination was positive (1/320), nuclear mitotic pattern. The skin biopsy was compatible with dermatitis herpetiformis. The study of celiac and locus antibodies showed positivity for HLA-DQ2 and DQ2.5 in heterozygosity. The diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis was established. Treatment consisted of a gluten-free diet and prescription of dapsone, with satisfactory results. CONCLUSION: It is important to establish the differential diagnosis of patients with chronic urticaria who do not respond to the reference treatment, in addition to carrying out a thorough clinical examination and physical examination before starting treatment and relying on a multidisciplinary team to establish an accurate diagnosis and treatment. appropriate. Due to the side effects of dapsone, subsequent follow-up of patients is essential.

ANTECEDENTES: Los exantemas cutáneos eritemato-papulares de breve duración sugieren el diagnóstico clínico de urticaria; no obstante, puede tratarse de otro tipo de dermatitis, y para establecer el diagnóstico deben llevarse a cabo exploraciones complementarias. REPORTE DE CASO: Paciente femenina de 53 años, diagnosticada en 2016 con linfoma difuso de células B grandes, en remisión completa. Desde el 2010 manifestó episodios de lesiones eritemato-papulosas, de 24-36 horas de duración. Recibió antihistamínicos, corticoides y omalizumab sin mejoría clínica. La determinación de ANA resultó positiva (1/320), con patrón mitótico nuclear. La biopsia cutánea fue compatible con dermatitis herpetiforme. El estudio de anticuerpos de celiaquía y locus mostró positividad para HLA-DQ2 y DQ2.5 con heterocigosis. Se estableció el diagnosticó de dermatitis herpetiforme. El tratamiento consistió en dieta exenta de gluten y prescripción de dapsona, con resultados satisfactorios. CONCLUSIÓN: Es importante establecer el diagnóstico diferencial de pacientes con urticaria crónica que no responden al tratamiento de referencia, además de efectuar el examen clínico y la exploración física exhaustivos antes de iniciar el protocolo, y apoyarse de un equipo multidisciplinario para establecer el diagnóstico certero y tratamiento adecuado. Debido a los efectos secundarios de la dapsona, es imprescindible el seguimiento posterior de los pacientes.

Dermatitis herpetiforme y enfermedad celíaca: del intestino a la piel / Dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease

Dermatitis herpetiformis is an autoimmune chronic blistering disease, considered a skin manifestation of celiac disease. Being both conditions multifactorial, they share some genetic traits and pathogenic mechanisms, which are responsible for the typical skin and gastrointestinal manifestations. In dermatitis herpetiformis, skin and other lesions heal after gluten-free diet and reappear shortly after its reintroduction to complete diet. Prevalence of celiac disease is 1% in the population, and approximately 13% of patients with the disease develop dermatitis herpetiformis. Diagnosis of celiac disease has progressively increased in recent decades, while clinical manifestations become more and more diverse. Given the current high frequency of skin lesions in celiac patients, in this review we update relevant aspects of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, treatment and follow up of dermatitis herpetiformis, as a contribution to improve the management of both conditions.

Significant improvement of dermatitis herpetiformis with tofacitinib.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a rare autoimmune blistering disorder in which patients with celiac disease, a gluten-sensitive enteropathy, present with a severely pruritic papulovesicular eruption over extensor surfaces such as the knees, elbows, lower back, buttocks, and neck. Patients are instructed to adhere to a gluten-free diet for purposes of improving their skin disease and gluten-sensitive enteropathy; this is the only treatment that lowers risk of enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma. Patients who adhere to a strict gluten-free diet often have remission of their skin disease over months to years. Dapsone is a rapid and extremely effective first-line treatment option and often used while transitioning to a gluten-free diet. Aside from gluten-free diet and dapsone, second-line treatment options include sulfapyridine, sulfasalazine, and colchicine. Some patients have difficulty adhering to a gluten-free diet or develop intolerable side effects to systemic therapies. Furthermore, there is limited data on the use of the second-line treatments. Recent studies have shed light on the role of JAK-STAT-dependent pathways in the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis. We present a patient treated with tofacitinib, 5mg twice daily, an oral JAK1/3 inhibitor, who demonstrated clinical improvement of DH and control of new lesion development.

Missing Insight Into T and B Cell Responses in Dermatitis Herpetiformis.

Dermatitis herpetiformis is a cutaneous form of celiac disease manifesting as an itching rash typically on the elbows, knees and buttocks. It is driven by the ingestion of gluten-containing cereals and characterized by granular deposits of immunoglobulin A in the papillary dermis. These antibodies target transglutaminase (TG) 3 and in the majority of patients they are also found in circulation. The circulating antibodies disappear and skin symptoms resolve as a result of gluten-free diet but the cutaneous anti-TG3 IgA deposits may persist for several years. In dermatitis herpetiformis, plasma cells secreting antibodies against TG3 are located in the intestinal mucosa similarly to those producing TG2 antibodies characteristic for celiac disease. In fact, both TG2- and TG3-specific plasma cells and gluten responsive T cells are found in dermatitis herpetiformis patients but the interplay between these cell populations is unknown. The small bowel mucosal damage in celiac disease is believed to be mediated by co-operation of cytotoxic intraepithelial T cells and the inflammatory milieu contributed by gluten-reactive CD4+ T cells, whereas the skin lesions in dermatitis herpetiformis appear to be devoid of gluten reactive T cells. Thus, how celiac disease-type intestinal T and B cell responses develop into an autoimmune condition affecting the skin is still incompletely understood. Finally, the skin and small bowel lesions may reappear upon reintroduction of gluten in patients treated with gluten-free diet but virtually nothing is known about the long-lived B cell and memory T cell populations activating in response to dietary gluten in dermatitis herpetiformis.

[Dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease]. / Dermatitis herpetiforme y enfermedad celíaca. Del intestino a la piel.

Dermatitis herpetiformis is an autoimmune chronic blistering disease, considered a skin manifestation of celiac disease. Being both conditions multifactorial, they share some genetic traits and pathogenic mechanisms, which are responsible for the typical skin and gastrointestinal manifestations. In dermatitis herpetiformis, skin and other lesions heal after gluten-free diet and reappear shortly after its reintroduction to complete diet. Prevalence of celiac disease is 1% in the population, and approximately 13% of patients with the disease develop dermatitis herpetiformis. Diagnosis of celiac disease has progressively increased in recent decades, while clinical manifestations become more and more diverse. Given the current high frequency of skin lesions in celiac patients, in this review we update relevant aspects of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, treatment and follow up of dermatitis herpetiformis, as a contribution to improve the management of both conditions.

The Long-Term Safety and Quality of Life Effects of Oats in Dermatitis Herpetiformis.

The treatment of choice for dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), a cutaneous manifestation of coeliac disease, is a life-long gluten-free diet (GFD). In a GFD, wheat, rye and barley should be strictly avoided, but the role of oats is more controversial. This study aimed to investigate the safety and long-term quality of life and health effects of oat consumption in 312 long-term treated DH patients. Baseline data were gathered from patient records and follow-up data from questionnaires or interviews, and validated questionnaires were used to assess quality of life. We found that altogether 256 patients (82%) were consuming oats as part of their GFD at the follow-up. Long-term follow-up data showed that there were no differences in the presence of long-term illnesses, coeliac disease complications or the usage of medication between those consuming and not consuming oats. However, oat consumers had a better quality of life and reported ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms less frequently (4% vs 19%, p = 0.004) at the follow-up than those not consuming oats. The study established that oats are safe for DH patients and in the long-term seem to improve the quality of life of DH patients.

Dermatitis herpetiformis.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a cutaneous manifestation of coeliac disease (CD), which causes an itching and blistering rash, typically on the elbows, knees and buttocks. DH and CD share a similar genetic background, small bowel mucosal alterations, and an autoimmune response against tissue transglutaminase in the serum and small bowel. DH is typically diagnosed during adulthood, and it is slightly more common among males than females. The incidence of DH seems to be decreasing, in contrast to the detected four-fold increase in the incidence of CD. In addition to typical clinical picture, diagnosis of DH relies on the demonstration by direct immunofluorescence of pathognomonic granular IgA deposits in the papillary dermis. Circulating tissue transglutaminase antibodies support the diagnosis, but their absence does not exclude DH. Obtainment of small bowel mucosal biopsies is not necessary when DH is diagnosed, but if performed, the majority of patients are found to have villous atrophy, and even those with normal villous architecture evince CD-type inflammation. The treatment of choice in DH is a strict, life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD). In addition to alleviating the symptoms of DH and healing the small bowel mucosal damage, a GFD increases the quality of life for patients, and decreases the risk for lymphoma in DH. Further, the mortality rate of patients with DH treated with a GFD seems to be lower than that of the general population. However, as changing to a GFD has a rather slow effect on the DH rash, patients with severe skin symptoms should additionally be treated with dapsone medication. This review article is based on a presentation given at the British Society for Medical Dermatology blistering skin diseases meeting 2019.

Facial Involvement in Dermatitis Herpetiformis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Dermatitis herpetiformis is a cutaneous manifestation of celiac disease that classically presents as a symmetric pruritic vesicular eruption on extensor surfaces. Typical locations include elbows, knees, and buttocks. Facial involvement has been reported rarely. Here, we report a case of a 44-year-old woman with dermatitis herpetiformis presenting as pruritic vesicles on the face that had previously been misdiagnosed as allergic contact dermatitis. Diagnosis was confirmed with direct immunofluorescence demonstrating granular IgA in the papillary dermis. This eruption cleared with topical dapsone 5% gel and a gluten-free diet. We report this case to raise awareness of facial involvement in dermatitis herpetiformis as well as the possibility of topical dapsone as a therapeutic option.

Thyroid diseases and skin autoimmunity.

The skin is the largest organ of the body, at the boundary with the outside environment. Primarily, it provides a physical and chemical barrier against external insults, but it can act also as immune organ because it contains a whole host of immune-competent cells of both the innate and the adaptive immune systems, which cooperate in eliminating invading pathogens following tissue injury. On the other hand, improper skin immune responses lead to autoimmune skin diseases (AISD), such as pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid, vitiligo, and alopecia. Although the interplay among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors has been shown to play a major role in AISD etiology and progression, the molecular mechanisms underlying disease development are far from being fully elucidated. In this context, epidemiological studies aimed at defining the association of different AISD with other autoimmune pathologies revealed possible shared molecular mechanism(s) responsible for disease progression. In particular, over the last decades, a number of reports have highlighted a significant association between thyroid diseases (TD), mainly autoimmune ones (AITD), and AISD. Here, we will recapitulate the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and pathogenesis of the main AISD, and we will summarize the epidemiological evidence showing the associations with TD as well as possible molecular mechanism(s) underlying TD and AISD pathological manifestations.

Dermatitis Herpetiformis: A Common Extraintestinal Manifestation of Coeliac Disease.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a common extraintestinal manifestation of coeliac disease presenting with itchy papules and vesicles on the elbows, knees, and buttocks. Overt gastrointestinal symptoms are rare. Diagnosis of DH is easily confirmed by immunofluorescence biopsy showing pathognomonic granular immunoglobulin A (IgA) deposits in the papillary dermis. A valid hypothesis for the immunopathogenesis of DH is that it starts from latent or manifest coeliac disease in the gut and evolves into an immune complex deposition of high avidity IgA epidermal transglutaminase (TG3) antibodies, together with the TG3 enzyme, in the papillary dermis. The mean age at DH diagnosis has increased significantly in recent decades and presently is 40⁻50 years. The DH to coeliac disease prevalence ratio is 1:8 in Finland and the United Kingdom (U.K.). The annual DH incidence rate, currently 2.7 per 100,000 in Finland and 0.8 per 100,000 in the U.K., is decreasing, whereas the reverse is true for coeliac disease. The long-term prognosis of DH patients on a gluten-free diet is excellent, with the mortality rate being even lower than for the general population.

Prognosis of Dermatitis Herpetiformis Patients with and without Villous Atrophy at Diagnosis.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a cutaneous manifestation of coeliac disease. At diagnosis, the majority of patients have villous atrophy in the small bowel mucosa. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the presence or absence of villous atrophy at diagnosis affects the long-term prognosis of DH. Data were gathered from the patient records of 352 DH and 248 coeliac disease patients, and follow-up data via questionnaires from 181 DH and 128 coeliac disease patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD). Of the DH patients, 72% had villous atrophy when DH was diagnosed, and these patients were significantly younger at diagnosis compared to those with normal small bowel mucosa (37 vs. 54 years, p < 0.001). Clinical recovery on a GFD did not differ significantly between the DH groups, nor did current adherence to a GFD, the presence of long-term illnesses, coeliac disease-related complications or gastrointestinal symptoms, or quality of life. By contrast, the coeliac disease controls had more often osteopenia/osteoporosis, thyroid diseases, malignancies and current gastrointestinal symptoms compared to the DH patients. In conclusion, villous atrophy at the time of DH diagnosis does not have an impact on the clinical recovery or long-term general health of DH patients.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms Increase the Burden of Illness in Dermatitis Herpetiformis: A Prospective Study.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is an extraintestinal manifestation of coeliac disease. The burden of illness in untreated coeliac disease is known to be considerable, but corresponding evidence for DH is lacking. In this study the burden of DH was evaluated prospectively in 52 patients newly diagnosed with DH using a study questionnaire and a validated Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) questionnaire. The PGWB scores were compared with those of 110 healthy controls. Quality of life was significantly (p < 0.001) lower among patients with DH at the time of diagnosis, but after 1 year on a gluten-free diet their quality of life was at same level as that of the controls. The presence of gastrointestinal symptoms was shown to significantly increase the burden of untreated DH. We conclude that there is a significant burden related to untreated, but not to treated, DH, and the burden is even greater among DH patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.