Lichen striatus in an adult: successful treatment with tacrolimus

Lichen planus and other lichenoid dermatoses: Kids are not just little people

Lichenoid dermatoses, a group of inflammatory skin conditions with characteristic clinical and histopathologic findings, range from common to rare. Classic lichen planus typically presents as pruritic, polygonal, violaceous flat-topped papules and plaques; many variants in morphology and location also exist. Other lichenoid dermatoses share similar clinical presentations and histopathologic findings. These include lichenoid drug eruption, lichen planus-like keratosis, lichen striatus, lichen nitidus, and keratosis lichenoides chronica. Epidemiologic characteristics vary among each lichenoid disorder. While classic lichen planus is considered a disease of adults, other lichenoid dermatoses may be more common in younger populations. The literature contains an array of reports on the variations in presentation and successful management of lichen planus and lichenoid dermatoses among diverse populations. Familiarity with the characteristics of each lichenoid dermatosis, rare or common within each patient population, is key to accomplishing timely recognition and effective management.

Simultaneous lichen striatus in siblings along the same Blaschko line

Lichen striatus (LS) is an asymptomatic, spontaneously resolving linear dermatosis consisting of 2 to 4 mm flat topped papules following the lines of Blaschko. Two siblings presented with a simultaneous occurrence of LS along the same Blaschko line of the left upper extremity. Only four other cases of a simultaneous occurrence of LS in related siblings have been reported, but none of these have occurred in the same extremity. Although 10 years have passed since the last case report of this unique concurrent familial eruption, few discoveries have been made regarding its etiology. Several theories have been proposed including environmental agents, cutaneous injury, viral infection, hypersensitivity, and genetic predisposition. These theories are discussed along with retrotransposons, a possible new explanation for the pathogenesis of this and other Blaschko line disorders.

Lichen striatus in adults and pimecrolimus: open, off-label clinical study

BACKGROUND

Lichen striatus is a well-known, acquired, self-healing, linear inflammatory dermatosis. Lichen striatus occurring in adults tends to be more extensive and itchy than in children, sometimes requiring symptomatic treatment. The therapeutic approach usually adopted is topical steroids, even though prolonged use may lead to several side-effects, particularly cutaneous atrophy.

OBJECTIVE

To report the results of an open, off-label study on the use of pimecrolimus 1% in the treatment of diffuse, nonresponsive forms of lichen striatus.

METHODS

Three adult patients suffering from relapsing or disseminated and itchy lichen striatus received topical application of pimecrolimus 1% cream (Elidel, Novartis Pharma, Basle, Switzerland) twice daily for 6 weeks, or until complete disappearance of the cutaneous lesions.

RESULTS

All patients experienced rapid healing of the dermatosis, without any recurrence for at least 14 months.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary results show that pimecrolimus may represent a useful therapeutic alternative for lichen striatus, although further studies on a larger number of cases are needed to confirm its safety and efficacy in the treatment of this condition.

"Pediatric blaschkitis": expanding the spectrum of childhood acquired Blaschko-linear dermatoses

We describe two young children who developed relapsing, pruritic, papulovesicular eruptions in multiple bands along Blaschko lines on the neck, trunk, and extremities. Skin specimens in both revealed spongiotic dermatitis. This represents the first report of "blaschkitis" in children, providing further evidence that lichen striatus and blaschkitis are related acquired Blaschko-linear dermatoses that exist on a spectrum rather than as the childhood and adult form of a single disease entity. We highlight the features that differentiate blaschkitis from lichen striatus, review the potential roles of cutaneous mosaicism, environmental triggers, and background immunologic state in their pathogenesis, and discuss the spectrum of inflammatory dermatoses that can follow Blaschko lines.