58: Linear Immunoglobulin A Dermatosis and Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood Flashcards
What is the typical age of onset for Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD)?
Typically occurs after the 4th decade of life.
What is the clinical presentation of Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
Clinical presentation includes tense bullae in the perineum and perioral regions, often described as a ‘cluster of jewels’. New lesions may appear around the periphery of previous lesions with a collarette of blisters.
What is the drug association commonly linked with Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD)?
LAD is associated with many drugs, including vancomycin.
What is the prognosis for patients with Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
Patients with CBDC often experience spontaneous remissions within 2 years.
What immunopathological feature is common to both Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD) and Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
Both conditions are defined by the presence of a homogenous linear band of IgA at the dermal-epidermal basement membrane zone.
What is the predominant IgA subclass found in the skin of patients with Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD)?
The predominant IgA subclass in the skin is almost exclusively IgA1.
What findings were revealed by immunoelectron microscopy studies regarding the location of IgA in the skin for LAD and CBDC?
For LAD, IgA was found in the lamina lucida region of the BMZ, below the lamina densa, and above and below the lamina densa. For CBDC, IgA was found either in the lamina lucida or a sublamina densa location.
What is the clinical presentation of CBDC in children?
CBDC in children presents with tense bullae in the perineum and perioral regions, often forming a ‘cluster of jewels.’
What is the significance of TNF2 allele in LAD?
The TNF2 allele is found with increased frequency in both adults and children with LAD.
A 45-year-old patient presents with tense bullae and a history of vancomycin use. What is the likely diagnosis, and what is the first-line treatment?
The likely diagnosis is Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD), potentially drug-induced by vancomycin. The first-line treatment is dapsone.
A 4-year-old child presents with tense bullae in the perineum and perioral regions, described as a ‘cluster of jewels.’ What is the diagnosis, and what is the prognosis?
The diagnosis is Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC). The prognosis is generally good, with most children going into remission within 2 years.
What are the differences in clinical presentation between LAD and CBDC?
LAD often mimics dermatitis herpetiformis with pruritic papules and vesicles, while CBDC is characterized by tense bullae in the perineum and perioral regions, often forming a ‘cluster of jewels.’
What is the role of immunoelectron microscopy in diagnosing LAD and CBDC?
Immunoelectron microscopy helps determine the exact location of IgA in the skin, revealing distinct patterns of immunoreactants in the lamina lucida or sublamina densa.
A patient with LAD has IgA deposits in the skin. What subclass of IgA is most commonly found?
The IgA deposits are almost exclusively IgA1.
A patient with LAD has additional deposits of IgG and C3. Is this common in drug-induced LAD?
No, C3 deposits are not found in drug-induced LAD in adults.
What is the typical age of onset for LAD and CBDC?
LAD typically occurs after the 4th decade of life, while CBDC most often presents before the age of 5.
What is the significance of HLA-B8 in LAD and CBDC?
HLA-B8 is associated with both LAD and CBDC, with up to 76% of CBDC patients expressing HLA-B8.
What is the role of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) in diagnosing LAD?
IIF demonstrates low-titer IgA antibodies against the epidermal side of split skin, helping to confirm the diagnosis of LAD.
What are the clinical features of drug-induced LAD?
Drug-induced LAD may present with erythema multiforme-like, toxic epidermal necrolysis-like, or morbilliform patterns, often resolving with drug discontinuation.
What is the significance of the lamina lucida in LAD?
The lamina lucida is a common site for IgA deposition in LAD, as revealed by immunoelectron microscopy.
What are the key clinical presentations of Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD) and Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
LAD: Clinical presentation may mimic dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), bullous pemphigoid (BP), and cicatricial pemphigoid.
CBDC: Characterized by tense bullae in the perineum and perioral regions, often described as a ‘cluster of jewels’. New lesions may appear around the periphery of previous lesions with a collarette of blisters.
How do the drug associations differ between Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD) and Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
LAD: Associated with many drugs, including vancomycin. Can occur in association with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but is only rarely associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy.
CBDC: Less clear drug associations, but studies suggest it may represent a different presentation of the same disease process as LAD.
What is the significance of HLA associations in Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD) and Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
LAD: Conflicting results regarding HLA-B8 frequency; some studies show increased frequency while others do not.
CBDC: Up to 76% of patients express HLA-B8, with increased frequencies of HLA-DR3 and HLA-DQ2 not seen in adults with LAD, indicating a potential difference in immunogenetic profiles between the two conditions.
What are the immunopathological features of Linear IgA Dermatosis (LAD) and Chronic Bullous Disease of Childhood (CBDC)?
Both conditions are characterized by:
- A homogenous linear band of IgA at the dermal-epidermal basement membrane zone.
- A minority of patients may have additional deposits, primarily IgG and occasionally C3.
- LAD shows almost exclusively IgA1, while CBDC may show IgA in either the lamina lucida or sublamina densa location, suggesting multiple antigens may be involved in both conditions.