DD 03-05-14 09-10am Inflammatory Skin Disorders - Dunnick Flashcards
Dermatitis defn.
= Inflammation of the skin
= commonly used by dermatologists to refer to spongiotic dermatitis, a nonspecific reaction pattern
seen on skin biopsy
Atopic Dermatitis - epidemiology (age, prevalence)
Common skin disease which may begin at any age, however a majority begin before age 5.
Prevalence: 7-17.2% in children
Atopic Diathesis
= aka what predisposes one to atopic dermatitis
- Asthma
- Allergic rhinitis
- Atopic dermatitis
Atopic Dermatitis - Diagnostic Criteria
Must have: Itchy skin, plus…
3 more of the following:
- Hx of skin crease involvement (or face if < 10 yrs)
- Personal Hx of asthma or hay fever (or FHx of atopic disease if pt < 4 yrs)
- Hx of dry skin w/in last year
- Visible flexural eczema (or face if pt < 4 yrs)
- Onset under 2 years of age
Atopic Dermatitis - Pathogenesis
- Barrier disrupted skin
- Filaggrin mutation
- Staphlyococcus aureus (acts as a superantigen)
- Elevated IgE
- Eosinophilia
- TH2 type cytokine (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10) immune response produced
Atopic Dermatitis - Infantile manifestations
From birth to 2yrs
Dry, red scaly areas confined to the cheeks
—> Becomes flushed with exposure to cold
Some have more generalized eruption, characterized by:
- erythematous papules
- redness
- scaling
- areas of lichenification
Atopic Dermatitis - Childhood manifestations
From 2-12 yo
Characteristic involvement of flexural skin:
- Antecubital fossa
- Popliteal fossa
- Neck
- Wrists
- Ankles
Atopic Dermatitis - Adult manifestations
From 12 yo to adult
Eyelid dermatitis
Hand dermatitis
Atopic Dermatitis - Associated Features
- Dry Skin (Xerosis)
- Keratosis Pilaris
- Ichthyosis vulgaris
- Hyperlinearity of the palms
Eczema
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Eczema
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Eczema
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Eczema
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Eczema
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Irritant Contact Dermatitis - basics
= Non-immunologically mediated rxn resulting from direct cytotoxic effect
- Either from a single or repeated exposure to the
irritant
- No specific “test” for irritant dermatitis
= Most common type of contact dermatitis
Irritant Contact Dermatitis - types of irritants
Strong vs. Weak Irritants
Strong irritants:
- damage skin directly even in small amounts contacting skin for a short time
- i.e. strong acids & bases
- generally carry warning labels & often suggest skin protection such as gloves be used
Weak irritants:
- “harmless” by themselves
- frequent, repeated contact may damage skin
Examples of Weak Irritants
- Soap and water
- Skin products (even “baby” and “hypoallergenic”)
- Perfumes
- Wool
- Raw Foods (meat, fruits, or vegetables held while
preparing foods) - Body Secretions (feces, urine, saliva, sweat)
- Friction
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
- Requires contact exposure of an allergen,
immune response & development of “memory” T cells - Type IV, delayed-type hypersensitivity rxn usually starts 24-48 hours after allergen exposure, but it can be delayed longer
What is contact allergy?
Delayed type hypersensitivity reaction
Allergens
= small chemical molecules (haptens)
= usually < 500 Daltons
- Small size allows penetration through skin
- presented by Langerhans cells to T cells
- mostly weak allergens that require repeat exposures prior to sensitization
Elicitation of ACD by allergens
Caused by inflammatory cytokines including TNFα and IL-1
What is a patch test?
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When do you patch test?
= gold standard test for diagnosing ACD Use with... - Pts w/ suggestive Hx - Pts w/ resistant dermatitis - Chronic dermatitis - Occupationally-related dermatitis - Atopic eczema - flaring - Stasis dermatitis - Photo or airborne distribution
patch test or allergic contant dermatits
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