Spongiotic reaction patterns in autoimmune bullous dermatoses (Review)

Challenges in diagnosing spongiotic dermatitis: A complex case report

This case study presents a challenging case of spongiotic dermatitis manifesting in the vaginal region. Spongiotic dermatitis, characterized by fluid buildup causing skin swelling, poses diagnostic difficulties due to its resemblance to other skin conditions. A 64-year-old female initially misdiagnosed with various genital infections underwent multiple treatments without relief. With Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) tests being negative, a biopsy later revealed spongiotic dermatitis. Histological examination confirmed characteristic features of spongiotic dermatitis, guiding definitive diagnosis. Following confirmation of spongiotic dermatitis through biopsy, the patient received appropriate treatment, leading to the resolution of symptoms. This case underscores the importance of biopsy in diagnosing spongiotic dermatitis amidst variable clinical presentations, highlighting the need for further research to understand spongiotic dermatitis prognosis and clinical manifestations.

Mycosis fungoides with spongiosis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). CTCL are an uncommon, heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) of T- and B-cell origin where the skin is the primary organ of involvement. It is characterized by malignant CD4+ T-cells infiltrating the skin and other organs, leading to progressive skin and systemic involvement. Histopathologically, MF is characterized by atypical lymphocytes demonstrating epidermotropism without spongiosis. Spongiosis is the histological hallmark of intercellular epidermal edema, viewed as clear spaces within the epidermis, and is very common in benign inflammatory dermatoses. Very few studies have reported MF in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We are reporting a case of MF with a rare presentation of spongiosis treated successfully with a low dose total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) followed by maintenance therapy of low dose Methotrexate (MT) at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Tanzania. This is the first case of MF to be managed with low-dose TSEBT in Tanzania. The authors wish to create awareness of the disease among physicians and pathologists and expand on the data paucity in SSA.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We are reporting a case of a 31-year-old male of African origin who self-referred to our oncology center with a 4-year history of skin rashes throughout the body, which was unresponsive to topical steroid treatment. The biopsy was taken, and the patient was diagnosed with MF CD 3 positive with spongiosis. The patient was treated with radiotherapy, whereby he received low dose total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) 12 Gy in 3 fractions at a daily dose of 4 Gy, followed by maintenance therapy of low dose Methotrexate and attained an excellent therapeutic response.

CONCLUSION

Spongiosis is an infrequent presentation of MF. Low-dose TSEBT provides reliable and rapid reduction of disease burden in patients with MF, which could be administered safely multiple times during a patient's disease with an acceptable toxicity profile. Lack of tendency to perform skin biopsies and cost constraints in assessing multiple immunophenotypic markers lead to missing the diagnosis. Diagnosis and treatment of MF in resource-limited countries is challenging.

Diseases from the Spectrum of Dermatitis and Eczema: Can "Omics" Sciences Help with Better Systematics and More Accurate Differential Diagnosis?

Researchers active in the field of inflammatory skin diseases from the spectrum of dermatitis and eczema are well aware of a considerable overlap in the clinical pictures and proposed sets of diagnostic criteria for these diseases, which can hardly be overcome through the clinical or epidemiological research. In effect, patients are included in studies based on vague and overlapping criteria, while heterogeneous study populations may, in turn, lead to non-representative outcomes and continued confusion. In this narrative review, a systematics of diseases from the spectrum of dermatitis and eczema is proposed based on the origins of causative factors and the pathomechanisms involved. Difficulties in differentiating between these diseases are discussed, and the extent to which advances in the "omics" sciences might help to overcome them is considered. Of all the "omics" research in this field, more than 90% of the published papers were devoted to atopic dermatitis, with a striking underrepresentation of other diseases from the spectrum of dermatitis and eczema, conditions which collectively exceed the rates of atopic dermatitis by far. A greater "omics" research effort is urgently needed to tackle other dermatitides, like allergic, irritant and protein contact dermatitis, as well as radiation, seborrheic, stasis or autoimmune dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis findings should be validated not only against healthy donors but also other dermatitides. A clinic-oriented approach is proposed for future "omics" studies in the field of dermatitis and eczema.

Photodistributed Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: a systematic review and proposal for a new diagnostic classification

BACKGROUND

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is commonly reported as a risk factor for Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). However, minimal evaluation of photo-induced SJS/TEN has been conducted. Thus, this review identifies all cases of SJS/TEN that are linked to an acute exposure of UVR and outlines the unifying characteristics of these cases. Furthermore, the theoretical pathogenesis, differential diagnoses, and proposed diagnostic criteria are defined.

METHODS

PubMed, Google Scholar, and other databases and websites were searched from inception to September 2021 to identify studies that met inclusion criteria. The following keywords were utilized: "Stevens-Johnson syndrome" and "toxic epidermal necrolysis" with "ultraviolet," "photodistributed," "photo-induced," "photosensitivity," and "photo." One reviewer assessed study characteristics, with confirmation by a second. The risk of bias was assessed independently by another.

RESULTS

Thirteen patient cases were identified, all reporting ultraviolet radiation prior to rash onset and an underlying causal drug. Case classifications included 7/13 SJS and 6/13 TEN. All cases described the rash as photodistributed with UVR exposure prior to rash onset (delay of 1-3 days) and a causal drug. 10 cases provided evidence that the photodistributed rash lacked linear demarcation (as in a sunburn) with satellite target-like lesions. No cases described a flu-like prodrome.

DISCUSSION

Mucositis, palmar and plantar rash, a positive Nikolsky sign, and a prolonged disease course can help distinguish from photosensitive reactions, while a negative direct immunofluorescence test is important to distinguish from other photo-induced disorders.

CONCLUSION

Physicians should be aware that UVR may precipitate SJS/TEN in patients taking susceptible drugs. After a 24-h delay from UVR exposure, a non-distinct, photodistributed rash appears with no flu-like prodrome and progresses for at least 48 h to include vesiculobullous eruptions and mucous membrane involvement. Photodistributed SJS/TEN appears to be photo-drug-induced with a unique onset and rash presentation that should be recognized as a distinct diagnosis.

Spongiotic Pattern in Pemphigus: A Retrospective Observational Single-Center Study

Pemphigus is a chronic blistering disorder caused by autoantibodies that target desmosomal proteins in the epidermis. Acantholysis may be absent, and pemphigus may present only with spongiosis and vesiculation, thereby leading to a misdiagnosis of eczema. Herein, we conducted a retrospective, observational, single-center study to establish a pattern of spongiosis in cases of pemphigus confirmed by direct immunofluorescence. Immunopathologically diagnosed pemphigus specimens from 2001 to 2020 were retrieved, and specimens with spongiosis were analyzed for the following features: vesiculation, acantholysis, spongiosis, inflammatory cells in the epidermis, and inflammation in the dermis. Cases of spongiotic dermatitis were used as control. Out of 99 immunopathologically diagnosed pemphigus specimens, 41 samples with spongiosis were identified. About one quarter of the specimens did not have acantholysis. Spongiosis in the middle to lower thirds of the perilesional epidermis (p = 0.030), exocytosis with either neutrophils or eosinophils (p = 0.016), dermal infiltrates composed of lymphocytes, eosinophils, and neutrophils (p = 0.012), and absence of Langerhans cell microabscesses (p < 0.001) were more common in pemphigus than control. Spongiosis in pemphigus may mimic eczema in patients without acantholysis. The subtle histological findings in this study provide diagnostic clues and suggest that further immunofluorescence should be performed to confirm pemphigus diagnosis.