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Background: Terra firma-forme dermatosis was first described in 1987. It is characterized by the appearance in children or adolescents of dirt-like patches despite normal cleansing. The lesions are removed when the skin is rubbed with a 70°C alcohol swab. This largely unknown condition is of uncertain origin but could be due to a keratinisation disorder., Patients and Methods: Herein we report the case of a 17-year-old male patient who, after seeking the opinions of a number of doctors, consulted in dermatology for multiple pigmented patches on the trunk and limbs that had appeared one year earlier. These lesions had persisted despite appropriate cleansing. He had no history of endocrine disorders and no familial history of pigmentation disorders. A skin biopsy revealed compact orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis resembling a second layer of stratum corneum on top of a normal layer. Very small granules were seen within this layer and PAS staining revealed spores. These skin lesions disappeared when rubbed with an alcohol swab, resulting in a diagnosis of terra firma-forme dermatosis., Discussion: Where a diagnosis of terra firma-forme dermatosis is suspected, confirmation is easy to obtain using an alcohol swab. Nevertheless, the disease is not familiar to dermatologists. The most common differential diagnoses are acanthosis nigricans, reticulate and confluent papillomatosis, and Dowling-Degos disease. Their histopathological appearances are very different and skin biopsy can be useful for diagnosis. These entities belong to a group of disorders involving abnormal keratinisation and pigmentation. Anatomoclinical correlation is essential for optimal management. The appearance of the stratum corneum may play an important role in the diagnosis of terra firma-forme dermatosis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Keratosis lichenoides chronica (KLC) is a rare chronic keratinisation disorder. Out of almost 60 published cases of KLC, only two report its occurrence in siblings. We report a new case in which a brother and sister present KLC that improved markedly with UVB phototherapy., Patients and Methods: A 10-year-old girl presented with hyperkeratotic papules symmetrically arranged in a reticular pattern on the face and the extremities. Onset occurred at the age of six months. For a number of years, minimum sunlight was allowed owing to a diagnosis of lupus. However, KLC was our first diagnostic assumption, confirmed by an elbow lesion biopsy sample. The patient's brother, one and a half years old, had been presenting similar lesions since the age of two months. Sibship was demonstrated by DNA analysis using short tandem repeat markers. No consanguinity was found. After one month of narrow-band UVB phototherapy, most of the papules had flattened., Discussion: KLC is uncommon in childhood and familial occurrence is very rare. Clinically, thick keratotic papules arranged in parallel lines or small networks cover the dorsal aspects of the limbs symmetrically. The face may be affected by a seborrhoea-like dermatitis. Histology typically shows alternating acanthosis and atrophy, with focal parakeratosis. An extensive lichenoid lymphohistiocytic and plasmocytic infiltrate is demonstrated in the dermis. The course is chronic. Spontaneous resolution may occur. Sunlight has been shown to be effective in the few paediatric cases reported. Narrow-band UVB phototherapy appears to be an effective therapeutic option.

Background: Bullous lesions of acral distribution are an uncommon finding in Bazex's syndrome (acrokeratosis paraneoplastica). We report here one of these rare cases., Patients and Methods: A 65 year-old-man, an alcoholic and a smoker, presented with characteristic lesions of Bazex's acrokeratosis paraneoplastica associated with a right cervical lymph node mass. An epidermoid carcinoma of sinus piriformis was then discovered. The acrokeratosis lesions worsened and spread to the knees, elbows, trunk and genitalia, with an erosive aspect, pain in the extremities, and tender, hemorrhagic bullous lesions on the toes and sides of the feet. Histological examination of a biopsy sample showed a subepidermal blister with numerous eosinophilic leucocytes. Direct immuno-fluorescence showed C3 deposits on dermal capillaries and IgA and IgM on colloid bodies in the papillary dermis. Blood eosinophilia and high levels of IgE were noted. Indirect immunofluorescence was negative for anti-epidermal and anti-basement membrane antibodies. Radiation and chemotherapy for the neoplasia resulted in healing of the bullous lesions and almost complete disappearance of keratotic squamous lesions with residual hyperpigmentation., Discussion: Although bullous lesions are rare in Bazex's syndrome (acrokeratosis paraneoplastica), they were noted as early as 1968 by Degos et al. These acral bullae mimic autoimmune bullous disease. An immunological reaction is thought to occur with antigens of the dermal-epidermal junction and eosinophils appear to be involved.

Two monozygotic female twins with linear porokeratosis of Mibelli are described. One had only minimal lesions of the right elbow. The other had a linear lesion of the right arm following Blaschko's lines. Monozygotism was established using DNA fingerprinting. A single-gene defect of variable expressivity involving the clonal development of epidermal cutaneous cells according to the lines of cutaneous embryogenesis is suspected. Dithranol and carbon dioxide laser treatment are discussed.