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Introduction:. Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp (EPDS) is an uncommon condition with unknown etiology. The clinical exclusive diagnosis needs to be differentiated from similar diseases. Here, we present a case of EPDS after surgical treatment of scalp squamous cell carcinoma. Case presentation:. A 68-year-old woman presented with an eight-month history of a chronic scalp eruption. She had been diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma by biopsy nine months ago, and had been treated by surgical excision and skin grafting. One month later, she was referred for evaluation of the newly enlarged lesion which was observed at the skin grafting site. She was diagnosed of EPDS based on characteristics of lesions, clinicopathological findings and laboratory data. The condition had clinically improved with systemic steroid therapy and topical tacrolimus for two weeks. Relapses occurred after complete withdrawal of both treatments. After repeating the above therapy and applying topical tacrolimus as maintenance therapy, the condition was well controlled at the one-year follow-up. Discussion:. EPDS is an uncommon inflammatory dermatosis with main incidence rate of elderly patients and female predominance. The diagnosis of EPDS cant be made only by histopathological examination, which is helpful for differential diagnosis. Microbiological investigations commonly remain negative. For the high risk of relapse, it is important for clinicians to be aware of maintenance treatment and a long- term management. Conclusion:. It should be recognized by clinicians that EPDS is an uncommon and relapse disease, leading to serious cosmetic problems. The treatment lacks evidence-based medicine data, clinician should choose the appropriate therapy according to the condition of patients.

Background This study investigated predictors of response to topical diphenylyclopropenone (DPCP) immunotherapy in patients with alopecia areata (AA). Objective To identify predictors of response, or resistance, to treatment for AA through clinical observations and serum tests. Methods Eighty four AA patients were treated with DPCP. Serum cytokine levels were measured in 33 AA patients pre- and post-treatment, and in 18 healthy controls, using ELISA assays. Results Of patients, 56.1% responded to DPCP with satisfactory hair regrowth; the response rate was negatively correlated with hair loss extent. Before DPCP treatment, higher serum IFN-γ and IL-12 cytokine levels were observed in AA patients compared to healthy controls. Non-responders to DPCP had significantly elevated serum IL-4 pre-treatment (3.07 fold higher) and lower IL-12 levels compared with responders. After DPCP treatment, non-responders had persistently high IL-4, increased IL-12, negligible decrease in IFN-γ and decreased IL-10. Post-treatment DPCP responders exhibited significantly decreased IFN-γ and IL-12, and increased IL-4 and IL-10. Development of adverse side-effects was significantly associated with higher pre-treatment serum IgE levels. Limitations A small number of subjects were evaluated. Conclusions Potentially, elevated pre-treatment serum levels of IL-4 and IL-12 can be used as unfavorable and favorable predictors of DPCP therapeutic effect, respectively. In addition, pre-treatment elevated serum total IgE may predict increased risk for severe adverse side-effects to DPCP application. Whether serum cytokine expression levels can be used as predictors of response to other forms of treatment is unknown, but it may warrant investigation in the development of personalized treatments for AA.

Background As a traditional and typical prescription of prominently activating blood circulation to remove blood stasis, Xuefu Zhuyu decoction (XZD) consists of 15 kinds of herbal medicine. Clinical investigations have showed that XZD could significantly promote the new hair generation of alopecia areata (AA) patients characterized by Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Purpose The purpose of this study was executed to determine whether the mechanisms by which XZD stimulated newborn hair were related to its anti-inflammatory effects. Methods Clinical AA individuals were recruited to confirm the efficies of XZD. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the contents of 15 compounds in XZD. Schrodinger molecular docking and in vivo surface plasmon resonance (SPR) techniques were used to evaluate the potential binding properties of compounds to target proteins. C3H/HeJ mice were randomly assigned to groups control, AA, and the XZD administration (6.5, 13.0 and 26.0 g/kg/d). Except for mice in control group, all the mice in the other groups were treated with a 21-day chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced AA. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining was performed to determine the degree of pathological damage to the skin. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and in serum and skin tissues. Western blot, immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to examine the expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and osteopontin proteins and genes in skin tissues. Results XZD could visibly promote hair regeneration of AA patients. The potential active ingredients in XZD prescription included at least amygdalin, hydroxysafflor yellow A, kaempferide, ferulic acid, catalpol, verbascoside, β-ecdysone, platycodin D, paeoniflorin, naringin, neohesperidin, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, saikosaponin A and saikosaponin D. The results of molecular docking and SPR analysis showed that verbascoside, liquiritin, kaempferide and amygdalin showed the best potential binding properties with IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and osteopontin, respectively. Pathological evaluation showed that compared with the CUMS group, the administration of XZD significantly promoted hair regeneration, evidenced by increased number of skin hair follicles in C3H/HeJ AA mice. Compared with control group, ELISA data showed that the levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in serum and skin tissues of CUMS induced AA mice were significantly increased, while XZD administration dramatically restrained the contents of the three pro-inflammatory factors. Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and qRT-PCR results further demonstrated that XZD administration notably down-regulated the protein and gene expression levels of osteopontin, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in comparation with CUMS group. Conclusion XZD could dramatically ameliorate CUMS-induced AA damage in the skin of C3H/HeJ mice, possibly by suppressing the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and osteopontin.

Background: Syphilitic alopecia is not common in patients with secondary syphilis. Though the clinical and histopathological findings of syphilitic alopecia have been described, the trichoscopy features are unknown yet. Main observation: A 42-year-old Chinese man was admitted to our clinic with a complaint of hair loss. The patient presented clinically with moth-eaten alopecia over the whole scalp without any previous discomfort or skin rashes. The serology for syphilis was positive. Trichoscopy showed black dots, focal atrichia, hypopigmentation of hair shaft and yellow dots. Conclusions: On the basis of trichoscopy, along with serology testing syphilitic alopecia can be differentiated from other hair loss diseases with similar clinical presentation. ( J Dermatol Case Rep. 2014; 8(3): 78-80)