2/17 Dermatitis (Atopic, Contact, and Infestations) Flashcards
What is the difference between Dermatosis and Dermatitis and Eczematous dermatitis?
Dermatosis – any pathologic condition involving the skin
Dermatitis – any inflammatory skin disorder
Eczematous Dermatitis – immunologic response (mainly type IV HSR) that involves B/T lymphocytes that result in the release of vasoactive factors that have inflammatory, destructive, or proliferative effects on the skin. 3 phases (acute, subacute, chronic)
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some clinical features of this stage?
ACUTE
Erythema
Edema
Vesicles/bulla (serum in the epidermis) - hallmark feature
Oozing (serum reaching the epidermal surface)
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some clinical features of this stage?
Sub-acute
Crust
Scales
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some clinical features of this stage?
Chronic
Lichenification
Hyper/hypo-pigmentation
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some clinical features of this stage?
Chronic
Lichenification
Hyper/hypopigmentation
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some histological features of this stage?
ACUTE
Vesicles in the epidermis + EDEMA + keratinocytes cells floating around
spongiosis = pathological hallmark
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some histological features of this stage?
SUBACUTE
thickened epidermis
What stage of Eczematous Dermatitis is this?
What are some histological features of this stage?
CHRONIC
epidermis extends downwards into the dermal layer
Briefly describe the general mechanism underlying:
atopic dermatitis
allergic contact dermatitis
irritant contact dermatitis
ATOPIC Dermatitis - Eczema (infantile, childhood, constitutional, endogenous)
ALLERGIC Dermatitis - DTH-induced cell damage due against an allergen; subsequent exposures results in activation of adaptive immunity)
IRRITANT Dermatitis -** TLR-induced cell damage** develops upon FIRST exposure in most people via activation of Innate immune system
What are some characteristic features of atopic dermatitis?
who does it affect?
progression of disease?
what is the inheritance pattern?
what will these patients eventually develop?
- affects mostly young children (under 5), especially those with a genetic predisposition (70% have a family history of atopy)
- spontaneous improvement is expected, but relapses can occur
- inheritance is polygenic (clinically normal parents may have affected children and vice versa)
- 50-60% will develop asthma
What are 3 pathophysiological explanations as to why atopic dermatitis develops?
1) Cutaneous Problem
- filaggrin deficiency -> breakdown of skin integrity -> skin is more susceptible to allergens and infections -> which can initiate inflammation and pruritic reactions that cause the patient to scratch the skin (excoriation).
- Increased keratinization: Ichthyosis vulgaris, increased palmar linearity and keratosis pilaris (due to sweat retention, prickly heat)
- Defective water binding: Asteatosis (dry skin dermatitis, eczema craquelé)
2) Immunologic
- Increased ability to form IgE
- Increased production of IL-4, which correlate with increased IgE production
3) Neurovascular
- white dermographism - increased vasoconstrictor tone as a result of excess adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity -> decreased cAMP
- delayed blanch to cholinergic agents
What is the hygiene hypothesis?
What is the hapten hypothesis?
What disease are these two hypotheses in relation to?
hygiene hypothesis – lack of early exposure to various antigens may increase susceptibility to allergic diseases by suppressing the natural development of the immune system.
hapten hypothesis – rise in atopic dermatitis is caused by the revolutionary increase in exposure to chemical haptens in the personal environment
Both in relation to ATOPIC DERMATITIS
These 3 symptoms are very characteristic of a particular disease. What is it?
Bonus points if you know what these are called.
atopic dermatitis
features are due to increased keratinization:
- *top**: Ichthyosis vulgaris
- *middle**: increased palmar linearity
- *bottom:** keratosis pilaris (due to sweat retention, prickly heat)
This symptom is found in this particular skin disorder. What is it?
Bonus points if you kow what it’s called.
atopic dermatitis
white dermographism
What are the physical findings associated with atopic dermatitis?
- itching -> scratching, which produces most of the dermatitis
- dry and scaly skin
- Facial pallor, cool extremities, and white dermographism
- Ichthyosis vulgaris and keratosis pilaris are common associated disorders
- Atopic Diathesis – characterized by hyperpigmentation (black and blue shine) + Dennie’s lines (extra folds on lower eyelids)
- Pityriasis alba (dry, fine-scaled, pale patches on the face)
What is the atopic diathesis?
How do you know if one suffers from this? (2)
predisposition to develop one or more of hay fever, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, or atopic dermatitis
Patients usually have hyperpigmentation (black and blue shine) + Dennie’s lines (extra folds on lower eyelids)
What are some of the factors that aggravate atopic dermatitis?
pathogens that can do the same?
- Antigens: foods (eggs, fish, milk, peanut, whweat) and inhalants (dust, pollens, dander)
- Sweating (hot baths, exercise, and strong emotional reactions)
- Dry skin (excessive bathing, decreased humidity)
- Wool Clothing
- Staphylococcal Aureus Infection
- Pityrosporon yeast
- Endocrine dysfunction
- Stress
What are some lab findings that you would expect in a patient with atopic dermatitis?
- 70% have a delayed blanch phenomenon with ACh injection
- Biopsy - shows acanthosis, epidermal edema (spongiosis), infiltration with lymphocytes, macrophages, plasma cells, and eosinophils (in other words, eczematous dermatitis)
- Moderate peripheral blood eosinophilia
- Rare positive patch test
- Food Allergy testing (in children)