Paediatrics Dermatology Flashcards
What is eczema?
Chronic atopic condition
Defects in continuity of skin barrier causing inflammation
Runs in families
When does eczema present?
Infancy with dry, red, itchy and sore patches on flexor surfaces
Comes in flares
What is the management of eczema?
Maintenance = emollients (thick and greasy - artificial barrier) after washing + before bed soap substitutes
Flares = thicker emollients, topical steroids (sometimes tacrolimus)
What are some specialist treatments in severe eczema?
Zinc impregnated bandages
Topical tacrolimus
Phototherapy
Systemic immunosuppressants (oral corticosteroids, methotrexate and azathioprine)
What are the thin creams and thick creams used in eczema?
Thin = E45, diprobase cream, oilatum cream, aveeno cream, cetraben cream, epaderm cream
Thick = 50:50 ointment (50% liquid parafen), hydromol ointment, diprobase ointment, cetraben ointment, epaderm ointment
What are the side effects of topical steroids?
Thinning of the skin = flares, bruising, tearing, stretch marks, enlarged blood vessels (telangiectasia)
What is the steroid ladder for steroid cream?
Mild: Hydrocortisone 0.5%, 1% and 2.5%
Moderate: Eumovate (clobetasone butyrate 0.05%)
Potent: Betnovate (betamethasone 0.1%)
Very potent: Dermovate (clobetasol propionate 0.05%)
What can treat bacterial infection of the skin in eczema? Which bacteria is most common?
Oral abx (flucloxacillin - if severe then IV)
Staphylococcus aureus
What is eczema herpeticum?
Viral skin infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) ot varicella zoster virus (VZV)
What was eczema herpeticum previously known as?
Kaposi varicelliform eruption (don’t confuse with Kaposi’s sarcoma)
What is the most common organism in eczema herpeticum?
Herpes simplex virus 1 (coldsore)
Who does eczema herpeticum usually occur in?
Patients with pre-existing condition e.g. atopic eczema or dermatitis
How does eczema herpeticum present?
Widespread, painful vesicular rash
Fever, lethargy, irritability
Lymphadenopathy
Describe the rash in eczema herpeticum?
Widespreak, erythematous, painful, itchy, vesicles containing pus (burst and leave punched out lesions)
What is the management of eczema herpeticum?
Viral swabs of the vesicles to confirm diagnosis
Aciclovir (mild = oral, severe = IV aciclovir)
What are some complications of eczema herpeticum?
Can be life-threatening if not treated properly (in immunocompromised)
Bacterial superinfection
What is psoriasis?
Chronic autoimmune conditon causing psoriatic skin lesions
What causes psoriasis?
Genetic component (but not clear)
1/3 patients have first degree relative with psoriasis
Describe the patches of psoriasis?
Dry
Flaky
Scaly
Faintly erythematous
Raised
Rough plaques
EXTENSOR SURFACES
Why do psoriatic plaques occur?
Rapid generation of new skin cells causing
abnormal buildup and thickening of the skin
Name 4 types of psoriasis?
Plaque psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis
Pustular psoriasis
Erythrodermic psoriasis
Describe plaque psoriasis?
Thickened erythematous plaques
Silver scales
Exensor surfaces
Most common form of psoriasis
Describe guttate psoriasis?
Common in children
Many small raised papules across trunk and limbs
Mildly erythematous and slightly scaly
Triggered by streptococcal throat infection, stress or medications
Resolves spontaneously in 3-4 months
What is pustular psoriasis?
Rare severe form of psoriasis where pustules form under areas of erythematous skin
Pus is not infective
Systemically unwell - medical emergency
Describe erythrodermic psoriasis?
Rare and severe psoriasis
Erythematous inflamed areas on most of the surface of the skin
Skin comes away in large patches = raw exposed areas - medical emergency and requires admission
Which specific signs are suggestive of psoriasis?
Auspitz sign = small points of bleeding where plaques are scraped off
Koebner phenomenon = development of psoriatic lesions to areas of skin affected by trauma
Residual pigmentation = after lesions resolve
How is psoriasis diagnosed?
Clinical appearance of the lesions
What are the treatment options for psoriasis?
Topical steroids
Topical vitamin D analogues (calcipotriol)
Topical dithranol
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus) usually only used in adults
Phototherapy with narrow band ultraviolet B light for guttate psoriasis
Which unlicensed treatments can be used for difficult to control psoriasis?
Methotrexate
Cyclosporine
Retinoids
Biologic medication
Which products contain both a potent steroid and vitamin D analogue?
Dovobet
Enstilar
(not licensed in children)
What conditions are associated with psoriasis?
Nail psoriasis - pitting, thickening, discolouration, ridging and onycholysis (separation of the nail from nail bed)
Psoriatic arthritis - (10% of patients with psoriasis) within 10 years of developing skin changes
Psychological - depression and anxiety
Obesity, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and type 2 diabetes
What causes acne?
Blocking of the pilesebaceous unit by increased production of sebum trapping keratin
Causing chronic inflammation with / without localised infection
What are the pilosebaceous unit?
Tiny dimples in skin containing hair follicles and sebaceous glands (produce natural skin oils and sebum)
Why is acne exacerbated by puberty / improving with anti-androgenic hormonal contraception?
Androgenic hormones increase the production of sebum
What are swollen and inflamed pilosebaceous units known as?
Comedones
What bacteria is thought to overgrow in acne?
Propionibacterium acnes (usually colonises the skin)
Define the following terms:
Macules
Papules
Pustules
Comedomes
Blackheads
Ice pick scars
Hypertrophic scars
Rolling scars
Macules = flat marks on the skin
Papules = small lumps on the skin
Pustules = small lumps containing yellow pus
Comedomes = skin coloured papules representing blocked pilosebaceous units
Blackheads = open comedones with black pigmentation in the centre
Ice pick scars = small indentations in the skin that remain after acne lesions heal
Hypertrophic scars = small lumps in the skin that remain after acne lesions heal
Rolling scars = irregular wave-like irregularities of the skin that remain after acne lesions heal
What is the management of acne?
Reduce symptoms / scarring / psychosocial impact
What medications can be used for acne?
No treatment if mild
Topical benzoyl peroxide to reduce inflammation (toxic to P. acnes bacteria)
Topical retinoids (chemical related to vit A) slow production of sebum
Topical abx e.g. clindamycin (prescribed with benzoyl peroxide to reduce bacterial resistance)
Oral abx e.g. lymecycline
Oral contraceptive pill to stabalised hormones and slow production of sebum
What is the last-line option for treating acne?
Oral retinoids i.e. isotretinoin (specialist prescribes) - careful follow up and monitoring
What is the most effective COCP for treating acne?
Co-cypindiol (Dianette) due to anti-androgen effects
Higher risk of thromboembolism so treatment is discontinued once acne is controlled
What is the oral isotretinoin called?
Roaccutane (retinoid)
How does roaccutane work?
Reduce production of sebum
Reduce inflammation
Reduce bacterial growth
What is the risk of roaccutane in women?
Teratogenic (harmful to foetus) patients must have effective and reliable contraception - must stop medication a month before becoming pregnant
What are some side effects of isotretinoin?
Dry skin and lips
Photosensitivity of the skin to sunlight
Depression and suicidal ideation (must be screened for mental health issues before starting treatment)
Rarely stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis
What is an exanthem?
Eruptive widespread rash
Name the original six “viral exanthemas”
First disease: Measles
Second disease: Scarlet Fever
Third disease: Rubella (AKA German Measles)
Fourth disease: Dukes’ Disease
Fifth disease: Parvovirus B19
Sixth disease: Roseola Infantum
What is measles caused by?
Measles virus - highly contagious via respiratory droplets
How and when do symptoms of measles start?
10 - 12 days after exposure
Fever, coryzal symptoms and conjunctivitis
What are Koplik spots?
Greyish-white spots on the buccal mucosa - pathognomic for measles
Describe the rash in measles?
Starts on the face behind the ears
3-5 days after the fever
Spreads to rest of body
Erythmatous, macular rash with flat lesions
What is the management of measles?
Self-resolves after 7-10 days of symptoms
Isolate until 4 days after symptoms resolve
Notifiable disease
30% develop complications
What are the complications of measles?
Pneumonia (most common cause of death)
Diarrhoea
Dehydration
Encephalitis
Meningitis
Hearing loss
Vision loss
Death
What is scarlet fever associated with?
Group A streptococcus infection, usually tonsillitis (not caused by a virus)
What is scarlet fever caused by?
Exotoxin produced by the strep pyogenes (group A strep) bacteria
Describe the rash in scarlet fever?
Red-pink, blotchy, macular rash with rough “sandpaper” skin - starts on the trunk and spreads outwards
What are the other features of scarlet fever?
Fever
Lethargy
Flushed face
Sore throat
Strawberry tongue
Cervical lymphadenopathy
What is the treatment of scarlet fever?
Abx for the underlying strep bacterial infection
Phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) for 10 days
Notifiable disease
Kept off school for 24 hours after starting abx
Which other conditions are associated with group A strep infection?
Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
Acute rheumatic fever
What is Rubella caused by? When do symptoms appear?
Rubella virus
2 weeks after exposure
Describe the rash in rubella?
Milder erythematous macular rash starting on face and spreading to rest of the body
How long does the rash last in rubella?
What are the associated symptoms?
3 dyas
Mild fever
Joint pain
Sore throat
Lymphadenopathy
What is the management of rubella?
Self-limiting
Notifiable disease
Stay off school for 5 days after rash disappears
Avoid pregnant women
What are the complications of rubella?
Thrombocytopenia
Encephalitis
Pregnancy = congenital rubella syndrome (deafness, blindness, congenital heart disease)
What is the fourth disease?
Dukes disease- mostly forgotten in clinical practice (no organism found to explain it)
Non-specific viral rash
What is the fifth disease also known as?
Parvovirus B19
Slapped cheek syndrome
Erythema infectiosum
What are the features of parvovirus infection?
Mild fever, coryza, non-specific viral symptoms e.g. muscle aches and lethargy
2-5 days after the rash appears (bright red, both cheeks, “slapped cheeks”
A few days after the reticular (net-like) erythematous rash appears which affects the trunks and limbs (raised and itchy)
How is parvovirus B19 managed?
Self-limiting
Rash / symptoms fade over 1-2 weeks
Supportive with fluids / analgesia
Infectious prior to rash but once formed, no longer infectious and can return
Who is at risk of complications to parvovirus?
Immunocompromised
Pregnant women
Haematological conditions (sickle cell anaemia, thalassaemia, hereditary spherocytosis and haemolytic anaemia)
How to manage patients with parvovirus and at risk of complications?
Serology testing to confirm diagnosis
FBC and reticulocyte count for aplastic anaemia
What are some complications of parvovirus infection?
Aplastic anaemia
Encephalitis or meningitis
Pregnancy complications including fetal death
Hepatitis, myocarditis or nephritis
What is the sixth disease? What causes it?
Roseola infantum
Human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6)
Human herpes virus 7 (HHV-7)
How does roseola progress?
1-2 weeks after infection with high fever (up to 40) suddenly lasting 3-5 days then disappearing
Coryzal symptoms, sore throat, lymphadenopathy
Fever settles and rash appears for 1-2 days
How does the rash appear in roseola?
Mild erythematous macular across arms, legs, trunk and face - is not itchy
Full recovery in a week- don’t generally need to be kept of nursery
What is the main complication of roseola?
Febrile convulsions due to high temperature
Immunocompromised = myocarditis, thrombocytopenia, Guillain-Barre syndrome
What is erythema multiforme?
Erythematous rash caused by hypersensitivity reaction
Caused by viral infections and medncations