DERM CASE Test your knowledge with multiple-choice cases This month – 8 cases: 1. Pruritic Arm and Leg Eruptions p.27 5. Weeping Leg Lesion p.31 2. Arm, Leg, Buttocks, and Ear Papules p.28 6. Infantile Face Bumps p.32 3. Scaly Eruption on Scalp p. 29 7. Scaly Bump on the Scalp p.33 4. Clustered Papules and Vesicles p. 30 8. Itchy Rash on Wrist p.34 Case 5 Pruritic Arm, and Leg Eruptions A 68-year-old male presents for assessment of a three month history of a pruritic eruption on his arms and legs. It has progressively worsened and has failed to respond to betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream. Upon examination, there are nummu - lar crusted plaques, particularly on the lower legs, tion with varicosities evident. © ibu t tr ad, h is nlo What is your diagnosis? ig l D dow yr ia an se a. Psoriasis p c rs c al u o er use son b. Nummular dermatitis m ed per C ris for c. Lichen planus m tho py Co . Au co r ited gle d. Tinea corporis o hib sin e pro t a al se prin S d u nd Answer r rise w a fo tho vie Nummular tdermatiatius (anslwayer, b) is a pruritic, course of oral antibiotics may be indicated. o Un isp acuteN, chronic, and podtentially relapsing condi - Therapy should be directed against tion characterized by crusted nummular plaques Staphylococcus , given that this is the microbial typically on the lower extremities. It is important agent most commonly implicated in this condi - to recognize in such cases that microbial infec - tion. Topical steroids are also standard treat - tion may be driving the process and that, when ments for this condition. topical therapy alone fails, as in this case, a Richard Langley MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Dermatology, and Director of Research, Division of Dermatology, at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Canadian Journal of CME / May 2011 27 DERM CASE Case 2 Arm, Leg, Buttocks, and Ear Papules A 7-year-old boy presents with pruritic papules that have been present for the past two weeks and pref - erentially affect the arms, legs, buttocks, and ears with relative sparing of the back and chest. What is the cause? What is your diagnosis? a. Varicella b. Id eruption c. Pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta d. Scabies e. Papular acrodermatitis of childhood Answer Papular acrodermatitis of childhood (answer e) is a extremities. These lesions are usually associated distinct viral exanthem, typically occurring after an with moderate to severe pruritis, and they are almost upper respiratory tract infection. The eruption is always preceded by an exacerbation of pre-existing characterized by monomorphous edematous erythe - eczematous dermatitis. matous papules, symmetrically distributed on the Pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta is a face, extremities, and buttocks. The trunk is usually polymorphous eruption with pruritic brown mac - spared, and the eruption is asymptomatic in most ules and papules evolving into vesicular, necrotic, patients, although mild pruritis may occur. Papular and occasionally purpuric lesions. These lesions acrodermatitis of childhood is benign, self-limited usually involve the entire body, sparing the face, and usually resolves completely in 8 to 12 weeks; scalp, palms, and soles. Patients with this condition thus, treatment is supportive, and reassurance may have associated fever and constitutional symp - should be provided. toms. Unlike the monomorphous lesions seen in papu - Scabies is a common skin infestation caused by lar acrodermatitis of childhood, varicella lesions ini - Sarcoptes scabiei , an obligate human parasite. The tially present as a red macule or papule, then rapid - most prominent symptom of scabies is pruritus, ly progress to become vesicles. This eruption is ini - which is usually present before clinical signs devel - tially found on the scalp, face, or trunk, later spread - op. Skin findings including papules, nodules, vesi - ing to the extremities. The pathognomonic finding copapules, and burrows are typically found in the of varicella is the presence of both new papules and interdigital spaces, wrists, ankles, axillae, palms and vesicles and older, crusted lesions at the same time. soles. In infants, lesions may also be present on the An id eruption is a hypersensitivity disorder charac - head. terized by small edematous papules or papulovesi - Michelle Long. is a Final Year Medical Student at the cles usually found symmetrically on the trunk and University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Alberta. Joseph M Lam is Clinical Assistant Professor of pediatrics and associate Member of Dermatology. He practices in Vancouver, British Columbia. 28 The Canadian Journal of CME / May 2011 DERM CASE Case 3 Scaly Eruption on Scalp This four-year-old boy has had a scaly eruption on his scalp for several months, which has gradually gotten worse, and it has now formed a boggy crust. No one else in the household is involved. What is your diagnosis? a. Psoriasis b. Cradle cap c. Tinea capitis d. Crusted impetigo e. Kerion Answer This youngster demonstrates an exaggerated response to a Trichophyton Tonsurans infection resulting in kerion formation (answers c and e) . While topicals may be tried, some cases of tinea Tinea capitis is most commonly seen in children. capitis, invariably, require oral Terbinafine, as is Scaling in the scalp, with broken hairs and alope - needed for the child. Selenium sulphide or keto - cia is most often noted. However, in some indi - conazole shampoos to reduce infectivity and viduals there is a marked host immune response should also be used. to the organism, resulting in thick plaques with pustules and/or abscesses, which can result in Stanley Wine, MD, FRCPC, is a Dermatologist in North permanent hair root destruction. As the condition York, Ontario. can lead to permanent baldness. It is, therefore, important to initiate treatment as soon as possi - ble. The Canadian Journal of CME / May 2011 29 DERM CASE Case 4 Clustered Papules and Vesicles A 79 year-old male presents with a history of burning erythematous urticarial plaques with clustered papules and vesicles. The lesions are found on exten - sor surfaces of both elbows and knees. At the time of presentation, the lesions were excoriated and crusted. The patient has no known history of celiac disease. What is your diagnosis? a. Neurotic excoriations b. Bullous pemphigoid c. Dermatitis herpetiformis d. Linear IgA bullous dermatosis Answer Dermatitis herpetiformis (answer c) is a chronic The appearance of Linear IgA bullous dermato - autoimmune bullous disorder characterized by sis is quite similar. However, the histologic and burning and pruritic urticarial papules and vesicles immunoflourescence characteristics differ, and in clusters. The lesions are symmetrically found on there is no association with gluten-sensitive elbows, knees, back, and buttocks. The disease may enteropathy. be seen in children, but it often begins in the second Diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis is made to fifth decade of life. using direct immunoflourescence of skin biopsy It is most commonly associated with gluten-sen - demonstrating IgA deposition in the upper dermis. sitive enteropathy that is similar to, but less severe Antibody tests to confirm celiac disease and der - than celiac disease, with only mild jejunal wall matitis herpetiformis include IgA-EmA and anti - inflammation and patchy regions of villous atrophy. bodies against tissue transglutaminase (IgA anti- The destruction is often not severe enough to cause tTG). The main treatment options include Dapsone malabsorption. Thus, the gluten sensitive enteropa - and a gluten free diet in which the patient should thy is often asymptomatic. IgA antiendomysial anti - avoid wheat, rye, and barley. bodies (IgA-EmA) are produced due to chronic Andrea B. Herschorn, MD, is a Community Medicine exposure of the sensitive gut to dietary gluten. The resident, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario. antibodies are then abnormally deposited in the Charles Lynde MD, FRCPC, is a Dermatologist, upper dermis leading to an immune response pre - Diplomate American Boards Dermatology, and senting in dermatitis herpetiformis. In patients with Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University celiac disease, 15 to 25% will develop dermatitis of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario. herpetiformis. 30 The Canadian Journal of CME / May 2011 DERM CASE Case 5 Weeping Leg Lesion This lady presented with this weeping lesion, which started two weeks ago, and it has been getting worse since then. She said that she has always had dry skin and that it tends to get worse during the winter. What is your diagnosis? a. Discoid eczema b. Eczema herpeticum c. Asteatotic eczema d. Infectious eczematoid reaction Answer Infectious eczematoid reaction (answer d) is a variant of eczema, a progressive, moist, eczematous process, Treatment should involve both a potent topical which seems to result from a combination of eczema steroid and an oral antibiotic. and superficial bacterial infection with Hayder Kubba, MBChB, LMCC, CCFP, FRCS(UK), DFFP, DPD, graduated from the University of Baghdad, Staphylococcus aureus . where he initially trained as a Trauma Surgeon. He The skin is erythematous, wet, and oozing. At the moved to Britain, where he received his FRCS and worked as an ER Physician before specializing in Family edge, a small circular lesion appears and coalesces as Medicine. He is currently a Family Practitioner in the condition spreads. Mississauga, Ontario. The Canadian Journal of CME / May 2011 31 DERM CASE Case 6 Infantile Face Bumps A one-month-old infant male presents with erythe - matous papulopustules over the face and upper chest. What is the cause of his bumps? What is your diagnosis? a. Erythema toxicum b. Seborrheic dermatitis c. Miliaria d. Benign neonatal cephalic pustulosis (neonatal acne) e. Milia Answer Benign neonatal cephalic pustulosis (neonatal acne) Milia, though commonly seen in infants, presents (answer d) is a neonatal pustular eruption that pre - as keratin-filled cysts derived possibly from the sents with multiple facial papules and pustules.