Elhem Khelifa

Mortality Rate in Bullous Pemphigoid: A Retrospective Monocentric Cohort Study

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering skin disease and is associated with an increased mortality. The end points of our study were to evaluate the mortality rate in a retrospective cohort of BP patients followed up to 5 years after the diagnosis and to determine prognostics factors. Methods: All new cases of BP diagnosed between 1990 and 2003 in the University Hospital of Geneva were retrospectively collected. 60 patients were included, 47 (88.6%) of whom were treated with a combination of corticosteroids and chlorambucil. Results: The 1-year, 2-year and 5-year probabilities of death were 26.7, 37.1 and 60.8%, respectively. Old age, dementia and use of chlorambucil at initial doses of 6 mg/day, but not at lower doses, were associated with poor prognosis in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Our study confirms that BP is associated with a high mortality. The observed mortality rates are however higher than those of previous studies, which is probably related to the inclusion of more debilitated patients.

Dermoscopy of Desmoplastic Trichoepithelioma Reveals Other Criteria to Distinguish It from Basal Cell Carcinoma

Background: Desmoplastic trichoepithelioma (DT) is a rare benign adnexal neoplasm considered to have follicular differentiation. It usually presents as an asymptomatic, firm, annular plaque with a raised border. The diagnosis of DT is based on clinical and histological features which can be similar to those of morpheiform basal cell carcinoma. Taking this into consideration, the use of another diagnostic technique would be very useful. Dermoscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic technique allowing a more accurate diagnosis. Objectives: To differentiate DT and morpheiform basal cell carcinoma by means of dermoscopy. Methods: Here, we describe the dermoscopic features of a case of DT, and make a direct clinicopathological correlation by using the horizontally cut slides provided by Mohs micrographic surgery. Results: On dermoscopy, DT shows well-defined borders and an ivory-white color, as well as prominent arborizing telangiectasias in the central area and on the right side. There are no leaf-like structures and no ovoid nests. This observation confirms and completes the first dermoscopic analysis of DT reported in the literature so far.

A rare tumour of the nail apparatus: onychomatricoma.

© 2008 The Authors 1127 JEADV 2008, 22, 1120–1156 Journal compilation

Linear sclerodermic lupus erythematosus, a distinct variant of linear morphea and chronic cutaneous lupus erythematous

Background  Overlap syndromes represent disorders that combine diagnostic criteria of two or more different connective tissue diseases.

Unilateral upper limb skin sarcoid reaction after homolateral mastectomy for breast cancer

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Cutaneous pseudolymphomas after leech therapy.

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