100: Delusional, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Factitious Skin Diseases Flashcards
What are the primary psychiatric skin disorders and their characteristics?
Primary psychiatric skin disorders are conditions where there is an underlying psychiatric component that leads to self-induced physical findings on the skin. These disorders result in destructive manipulation of the skin, hair, or nails, often as an expression of highly dysregulated emotions. Examples include:
- Delusional disorders
- Morgellons disease
- Body dysmorphic disorder
- Trichotillomania
- Excoriation disorder
- Dermatitis artefacta
What are the clinical features of delusions of parasitosis and Morgellons disease?
The clinical features include:
- Sensations of formication, such as crawling, biting, and stinging, believed to be caused by cutaneous infestation by parasites or fibers.
- Attempts to pick at perceived ‘parasites’ or ‘fibers’.
- Collection of specimens claimed to be extracted from the skin, including scabs, skin flakes, and even real insects.
- Evidence of self-mutilation, with excoriations and irregular ulcers typically sparing areas out of reach.
What is the treatment of choice for delusions of parasitosis?
The treatment of choice is pimozide, followed by atypical antipsychotics. Establishing rapport with the patient is crucial, as they often have low levels of insight and may be resistant to psychiatric treatment.
How is the diagnosis of delusions of parasitosis made?
The diagnosis is a diagnosis of exclusion, made only when the patient has an encapsulated delusion of infestation without the presence of any organic cause.
What are primary psychiatric skin disorders characterized by?
They are characterized by an underlying psychiatric component that causes self-induced physical findings on the skin, resulting in destructive manipulation of the skin, hair, or nails.
What are the clinical features of delusions of parasitosis?
Sensations of formication, including crawling, biting, and stinging, and attempts to pick the ‘parasites’ or ‘fibers’.
What is Morgellons disease a variant of?
It is a variant of delusions of parasitosis, characterized by a fixed belief that there are fibers or solid material extruding from the skin.
What is the matchbox sign in delusions of parasitosis?
It refers to the collection of specimens that patients claim to have extracted from their skin, including scabs, skin flakes, and even real insects.
How are delusions of parasitosis diagnosed?
It is considered a diagnosis of exclusion, made only when there is an encapsulated delusion of infestation without the presence of any organic cause.
What are cutaneous sensory disorders?
Conditions in which the patient has abnormal sensations on the skin, such as itching, burning, stinging, biting, and crawling, without any diagnosable cause.
What are secondary psychiatric disorders associated with psychodermatology?
Anxiety, depression, and social phobia.
What is the challenge in treating delusional skin disorders?
Patients often have low to absent levels of insight and are not open to psychiatric treatment or referral, making establishing rapport key.
What are the primary characteristics of delusional skin disorders?
Delusional skin disorders are characterized by:
- Monosymptomatic hypochondriacal diseases with a fixed, false belief.
- Delusions of parasitosis: belief of infestation by parasites or fibers without objective proof.
- Morgellons disease: belief that fibers or solid materials are extruding from the skin.
- Secondary skin findings include excoriation and manipulation of the skin, hair, or nails.
What are the clinical features associated with delusions of parasitosis and Morgellons disease?
Clinical features include:
- Sensations of formication: crawling, biting, and stinging.
- Attempts to pick at perceived parasites or fibers.
- Collection of specimens: scabs, skin flakes, hair, and even real insects (matchbox sign).
- Photographic evidence of their supposed infestation.
- History of antiparasitic therapies attempted without success.
- Self-mutilation: evidence of excoriations and irregular ulcers, often in hard-to-reach areas.
What is the diagnostic approach for delusions of parasitosis?
The diagnosis is a diagnosis of exclusion, which involves: 1. Confirming the presence of an encapsulated delusion of infestation without any organic cause. 2. Assessing if the delusional ideation is part of a broader psychosis (e.g., schizophrenia). 3. Biopsy: while non-diagnostic, it can provide objective evidence against infestation and help build therapeutic rapport with the patient.
What treatment options are available for delusions of parasitosis, and what challenges are associated with management?
Treatment options include:
- Pimozide: first-line treatment for delusions of parasitosis.
- Atypical antipsychotics: used as a follow-up treatment.
Challenges in management:
- Patients often have low insight and may resist psychiatric treatment.
- Establishing rapport is crucial for effective management.
What underlying psychopathology is associated with Body dysmorphic disorder?
- Obsession about a physical flaw
- Comorbid depression, anxiety, or OCD
What are the differential diagnoses for Trichotillomania?
- OCD
- Comorbid anxiety, depression, psychosis
What treatments are available for Neurotic excoriations?
- Wound care
- SSRIs
- Antipsychotics
- Psychotherapy (including DBT)
What is a common characteristic of Dermatitis artefacta?
- Self-induced injury using instruments (sharp objects, lighters, cigarettes, corrosive chemicals)
- Deny self-inflicted nature of skin lesions
What underlying psychopathology is associated with Body dysmorphic disorder?
- Obsession about a physical flaw, often with comorbid depression, anxiety, or OCD.
What are some differential diagnoses for Trichotillomania?
- OCD, comorbid anxiety, depression, and psychosis.
What treatments are recommended for Dermatitis artefacta?
- Wound care, SSRIs, and psychotherapy including DBT.
What is a common characteristic of Neurotic excoriations?
- Self-induced scratching, picking, or rubbing of the skin, often with a relatively high level of insight.