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Introduction: Calciphylaxis is a rare but devastating disease with a mortality rate up to 50% in 1 year. It is characterized by profoundly painful ischemic skin lesions and vascular calcification that affects predominantly patients with end stage renal disease. The use of certain medications is an important modifiable risk factor in calciphylaxis and discontinuation of these is a mainstay of treatment., Areas Covered: This review will provide an overview of calciphylaxis and will focus on how certain therapeutic agents can affect the risk of calcification and associated thrombosis, key processes involved in the development of calciphylaxis., Expert Opinion: Calciphylaxis treatment requires a multi-modal approach including prevention, risk factor management, wound care, reperfusion, and use of fibrinolytics and antioxidants. Patients with end stage renal disease represent the most affected population. This population often has multiple medications prescribed, some worth reconsidering before starting or continuing them. When possible, we recommend stopping all potentially contributing medications in patients with calciphylaxis, including warfarin, active vitamin D, calcium supplements, and iron.

Background: The current gold standard for diagnosis of calciphylaxis is a skin biopsy specimen demonstrating calcification of small-caliber arteries or arterioles., Objective: The aim of this study is to compare diameters of calcified vessels seen in skin biopsy specimens and radiology images of patients with calciphylaxis., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with known calciphylaxis from 2009 to 2016 at a community hospital who had both skin biopsy specimens and radiology images taken as part of their routine care. Vascular calcification was compared in skin biopsy specimens and radiology images., Results: Seven patients were identified. Small-vessel calcification as fine as 0.1 to 0.3 mm was identified on plain films in 3 patients; 0.1 to 0.2 mm by mammography in 3 patients, and 0.1 to 0.2 mm by computed tomography imaging in 1 patient, nearly as fine a resolution as on histopathology., Limitations: This was a single-center study with limited sample size., Conclusion: Radiologic imaging might enable more rapid diagnosis of calciphylaxis when skin biopsy specimen is pending or not available., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, we describe a method for quantifying the extent of psoriasis and vitiligo by image processing of digital photographs using machine-learning techniques. By calculating the area of involvement of these conditions, we enable the quantification of treatment response.

Recently, 2 putatively novel clinicopathological entities, macular arteritis (MA) and lymphocytic thrombophilic arteritis (LTA), have been described. Both exhibit an indolent chronic course and erythematous and hyperpigmented macules (MA > LTA) and papules/plaques (LTA > MA), often in a reticulated pattern on the lower limbs. Histopathologically, they show varying degrees of lymphocyte infiltration and disruption of the arterial wall, concentric luminal fibrin deposition, and in some cases, fibrointimal scarring (endarteritis obliterans). This spectrum of histology overlaps with the subacute, reparative, and healed stages reported for cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (CPAN). Herein, we report 2 cases of cutaneous lymphocytic arteritis, 1 with persistent indolent disease and the second with acute self-limited disease. Comparing these 2 patients' findings with that reported for MA, LTA, and CPAN highlights a clinicopathologic spectrum, which exhibits increasing disease severity moving from MA to LTA to CPAN to systemic polyarteritis nodosa. Given the clinicopathologic similarities, we conclude that our cases and cases previously reported as MA or LTA likely represent an indolent form of CPAN.

Background: Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, or Sweet syndrome (SS), is a condition that is presumed to be triggered by infectious disease agents. We report a case of SS associated with human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), which is of interest because Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects, multiplies in, and disrupts the function of neutrophils, the key infiltrating cell in SS., Observations: A patient with initial dermatologic manifestations of SS who did not respond to standard SS treatment was suspected to have concurrent HGA with the demonstration of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated hepatic transaminase levels. The HGA diagnosis was established when morulae in neutrophils were observed on a peripheral blood smear, a finding confirmed by both serologic examination and polymerase chain reaction on the skin biopsy specimen used to establish the SS diagnosis., Conclusion: The significant involvement of neutrophils with both SS and HGA warrants a broader search for additional cases that may further define whether pathogenetic linkages could exist.

Chemotherapeutic agents are known to cause a myriad of cutaneous side effects that the dermatologist is often called upon to identify and treat. The taxoid drug paclitaxel is commonly used in oncology. To date, there have been few adverse dermatologic effects reported secondary to paclitaxel use. This is in contrast to the related drug docetaxel. We report a case in which paclitaxel caused onycholysis and nail loss in a patient being treated for lung cancer. To our knowledge, this finding has not previously been reported in the American dermatologic literature, though it has been reported in association with docetaxel use. It is important for clinicians to recognize that onycholysis can be associated with paclitaxel. Prompt recognition may prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotics or antifungal medications. Discontinuation of paclitaxel chemotherapy generally is not required, and regrowth of nails can be expected following completion of therapy.

Many authors currently advocate 10-20% dosage increments between phototherapy sessions when treating psoriasis with narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB). However, such regimens are associated with a risk of significant erythema. In order to reduce this risk, a fixed increment regimen was developed using increments ranging from 30 mJ/cm2 for skin type II to 150 mJ/cm2 for type VI. Starting doses, also based on skin type, range from 180 to 400 mJ/cm2. Data from 20 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis [13 male, 7 female, age range 17-74, skin types II (3), III (10), IV (3), V (1), VI (3)] completing 27 courses of phototherapy of more than 3 weeks' duration between 8/96 and 12/97 were compared. Complete, or near-complete clearing occurred in 8/13 courses (62%) with a frequency of attendance (during the initial 24 sessions) of >2.5 sessions per week, 4/8 (50%) with a frequency of 2.0-2.5, and 1/6 (17%) with a frequency of <2.0. In the subset of patients taking low-dose oral retinoids, rates of clearing were higher. Overall, 10 of 20 patients (50%) cleared, usually within 24-30 sessions. The average maximum dosage in such cases was 1400 mJ/cm2. There were only 13 instances of minor erythema, and 1 instance of severe erythema resulting in desquamation and requiring interruption of treatment. This was due to the inadvertent administration of an excessive 300 mJ/cm2 increment to a type VI patient. In summary, using a conservative fixed increment regimen, clearing of psoriasis is possible while minimizing the risk of serious erythema. Results are enhanced when patients attend 3 phototherapy sessions per week.

Pyruvic acid (PA) is an alpha-hydroxy acid with potent keratolytic properties. Fifty-six patients with common warts treated with two PA formulations were surveyed 2 to 29 months after beginning treatment (mean, 18 months). Thirty-eight patients used a 70 percent PA formulation with added 0.5 percent 5-fluorouracil (PA-5FU). Eighteen patients used a plain 70 percent PA formulation without added 5FU. Three-quarters of the patients reported using the formulation for 4 weeks or less. Overall, 64 percent of the patients treated with either of the two formulations experienced complete clearing of their lesions. There was no increased efficacy noted with the PA-5FU formulation. Eighty-two percent of eighteen children, aged 16 years or younger, experienced clearing of lesions.

A student in a veterinary program noted an inflammatory tinea corporis on the right forearm after working with cows. Culture grew Trichophyton verrucosum. A nine-day course of treatment with oral fluconazole, 100 mg daily, resulted in prompt resolution. Awareness of the clinical presentations of barn itch, and familiarity with wet mount and histopathologic features, and special growth requirements of T. verrucosum will facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment. Therapy with newer antifungal agents such as fluconazole may offer advantages over grisefulvin.

Background: The infrared coagulator (IRC) is an instrument that delivers a narrow beam of noncoherent infrared light to the skin surface., Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the utility of the infrared coagulator in treating common warts of the hands and feet., Methods: Forty-four warts in 21 patients were treated with 1.25-second pulse durations. Thirty-one of the warts were recurrent after previous electrosurgery or cryosurgery. Average follow-up time was 11 months., Results: Overall, 25 warts (57%) resolved after one treatment, 6 warts (14%) regressed and cleared with additional treatment, and 13 warts (30%) recurred, giving an overall cure rate of 70%. Eleven of the 21 patients (52%) were cleared of all their treated warts., Conclusion: The IRC is a useful therapeutic modality for common warts.

The petechial glove and sock syndrome is a recently described febrile dermatosis characterized by acral pruritus, edema, pain, petechiae, and an enanthem of petechiae and erosions; these features suggest a viral origin. We report a typical case in a 36-year-old woman. IgM antibodies to human parvovirus B19 (PVB19) were present, and acute and convalescent IgG antibodies demonstrated seroconversion, which suggested recent infection with PVB19. Results of tests for other viral and bacterial agents were negative. These results strongly implicate PVB19 as an etiologic agent in the petechial glove and sock syndrome.

Skin fibroblasts from a patient with the photosensitive disorder hydroa vacciniforme were tested in vitro for DNA repair capacity. The rate of ultraviolet light (254 nm)-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in these fibroblasts was found to be 51-59% of the rate found in 4 normal fibroblasts strains. The patient had none of the clinical signs of the classic DNA deficient disease, xeroderma pigmentosum.

Hydroa vacciniforme is a rare photosensitivity disorder with onset in childhood. The distinctive lesion is a vesicle which heals with scarring. We report a case of hydroa vacciniforme in which an abnormal minimal erythema dose to wavelengths of 322 to 370 nm within the ultraviolet A (UVA) range was demonstrated. Vesicles could be induced only with multiple exposures to UVA. Increased tolerance to UVA erythema was induced by multiple UVB exposures, although tanning was poor. Of note were the presence of several halo nevi and a history of the loss of ability to tan. The clinical features and appropriate laboratory evaluation of hydroa vacciniforme are reviewed.

Two cases of photosensitivity to the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent piroxicam are described. The action spectrum appears to be in the ultraviolet A (UVA) range (320 to 400 nm). Hallmarks of the photosensitivity reaction include an acute eczematous dermatitis with frank vesicle formation clinically and spongiosis and a perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrate histologically. Piroxicam and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are capable of inducing cutaneous photosensitivity.