Pityriasis rotunda. A clinical study in Jordan: experience of 10 years.

BACKGROUND: Pityriasis rotunda is a rare skin disease characterized by the presence of multiple, round or oval, sharply demarcated hyperpigmented scaly patches. It has been described in Japan, South Africa, and in some other countries. The cause of pityriasis rotunda is usually idiopathic but may be associated with certain internal malignancy or systemic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe this rare entity in Jordan in a retrospective study during the last 10 years. Jordan, as a Middle Eastern country, had no previous reports about this rare disease. In addition, the intention was to report any systemic association with the disease. Some of the cases were examined by dermoscopy. No previous reports documented dermatoscopic features of the disease. RESULTS: We could report 23 cases during the last 10 years. Eighteen cases were females and five males, in an age range of 9-38 years. There were three familial cases. The dermatoscopic findings were well demarcated, hyperpigmented with brownish patches with polygonal scales. These scales were more defined, not homogeneous in color, and separated from each other by paler stria. CONCLUSIONS: The cases of the study seem to indicate the rarity of the disease in Jordan. Our case fits neatly into the benign form of the disease with lack of association with any underlying diseases.

Pityriasis lichenoides in children: a long-term follow-up of eighty-nine cases.

Pityriasis lichenoides is usually classified into an acute and a chronic form. From a review of 89 cases of the disease seen since 1974 it seems that a more realistic classification into three main groups, according to the distribution of pityriasis lichenoides lesions, could be made, namely, a diffuse, a central, and a peripheral form, each characterized by a different clinical course. Conversely, no correlations were detected in our series between the severity of skin lesions and their distribution or the overall course of the disease. None of our cases suggests the possible evolution of pityriasis lichenoides into lymphomatoid papulosis. Although no infectious causative agent has been identified, a viral origin seems likely in some cases. Most patients responded favorably to UVB irradiation. Our conclusions are (1) that pityriasis lichenoides is probably a clinical disorder with a diverse etiology and (2) that its classification by distribution seems more useful than its subdivision into an acute and a chronic form.