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Biomedical subjects

Jeffrey P Callen

Publications and source records attributed to Jeffrey P Callen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Acute-onset, painful acral granuloma annulare: a report of 4 cases and a discussion of the clinical and histologic spectrum of the disease.

BACKGROUND: Granuloma annulare is a benign cutaneous inflammatory disease of unknown etiology most commonly presenting on the hands and feet and consisting of asymptomatic to mildly pruritic, flesh-colored to erythematous annular plaques. To our knowledge, an acute-onset, painful acral eruption has not been previously recognized. OBSERVATIONS: We report 4 patients who presented with acute-onset, painful acral granuloma annulare. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible for granuloma annulare to present as a painful eruption with an acute onset and an acral distribution. Biopsy results are a crucial factor when establishing the diagnosis of this atypical clinical presentation of granuloma annulare.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Mycophenolate mofetil as an effective corticosteroid-sparing therapy for recalcitrant dermatomyositis.

BACKGROUND: Dermatomyositis (DM) is a multisystem idiopathic inflammatory disorder that most commonly affects the muscles and skin. Systemic corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy but are limited by their long-term adverse effects. OBSERVATIONS: We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of oral mycophenolate mofetil in patients with cutaneous lesions of DM recalcitrant to other therapies through an open-label retrospective medical chart review of patients in a university-affiliated private practice setting. Twelve patients with DM who had skin lesions recalcitrant to traditional therapies or who developed toxic effects from traditional therapies began mycophenolate mofetil treatment at doses ranging from 500 mg to 1 g twice a day. Response was based on improvement in skin disease as judged clinically, an increase in strength, and/or an ability to decrease or discontinue concomitant therapies. Improvement was seen in 10 of the 12 patients, most within 4 to 8 weeks. Most patients tolerated mycophenolate mofetil treatment without problem; however, 1 patient developed a B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system, and another developed abnormal levels of hepatic enzymes along with urinary symptoms. Resolution of these toxic reactions occurred with cessation of mycophenolate mofetil treatment in each patient. CONCLUSION: Mycophenolate mofetil may be an effective corticosteroid-sparing therapy for the treatment of some patients with DM.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Warfarin therapy for livedoid vasculopathy associated with cryofibrinogenemia and hyperhomocysteinemia.

BACKGROUND: Livedoid vasculopathy is an idiopathic, chronic disorder manifested by painful, purpuric macules on the lower extremities that superficially ulcerate, resulting in atrophic, stellate scars with peripheral telangiectasias and hyperpigmentation. OBSERVATIONS: A 50-year-old man presented with recurrent, painful ulcerations on the medial aspect of his malleoli and calves. The clinical presentation, histologic findings, and results of laboratory evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of livedoid vasculopathy in this case. Despite being refractory to treatment with multiple other medications, the lesions responded dramatically to oral warfarin sodium therapy. CONCLUSION: Treatment with warfarin may be a beneficial therapy for patients with livedoid vasculopathy.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed2006

African tick bite fever: a not-so-uncommon illness in international travelers.

BACKGROUND: African tick bite fever is a rickettsial illness that has recently emerged as a significant disease among international travelers. The vector is the Amblyomma tick, which is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the eastern Caribbean. OBSERVATIONS: We describe a middle-aged woman who returned from a mission trip to Zimbabwe with an influenzalike illness and inoculation eschar; she also had a history of travel to a game farm. Biopsy revealed a histopathologic pattern consistent with an infectious pathogenesis. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of rickettsial organisms. In light of the patient's history, the clinical constellation of signs and symptoms, and the results of ancillary laboratory testing, a diagnosis of African tick bite fever was made. The patient was treated with doxycycline hydrochloride and had an uncomplicated course. CONCLUSIONS: This report further highlights the epidemiological and clinical features of African tick bite fever. With the increase in international travel, it is important to recognize the illness in those who have been to endemic countries and to counsel patients regarding preventive measures for planned travel.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Tissue eosinophilia as an indicator of drug-induced cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether tissue eosinophilia is a reliable indicator of a drug-induced etiology in biopsy samples demonstrating leukocytoclastic vasculitis. DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review with concurrent histopathologic analysis. SETTING: University-affiliated dermatology practice. PATIENTS: Sixty-three patients with cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis meeting specific inclusion criteria were divided into drug-induced (n = 16) and non-drug-induced (n = 47) groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Corresponding histopathologic material was reviewed by a dermatopathologist masked to the etiologic associations. An eosinophil ratio was calculated for each patient, derived from the mean eosinophil score (averaging eosinophil counts from 10 high-power histologic fields), and expressed in relation to the intensity of inflammation in the histopathologic slides examined. Eosinophilia ratios were compared for both groups using the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: A significant difference was found in mean eosinophil ratios in the drug-induced vs non-drug-induced groups (5.20 vs 1.05; P = .01). Vascular fibrin deposition was present in both groups and was not found to be significantly different (P = .78). Clinical evidence of systemic vasculitis was present in 2 patients (13%) in the drug-induced group vs 15 (32%) in the non-drug-induced group. Fourteen patients (88%) in the drug-induced group had a short-term disease course vs 27 (57%) in the non-drug-induced group. CONCLUSIONS: Tissue eosinophilia is established as a reliable indicator of drug induction in cutaneous small vessel vasculitis. Drug-induced small-vessel vasculitis generally follows a short-term disease course without development of systemic involvement. This information may be useful for guiding management decisions, especially when the etiology is unclear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Glomeruloid hemangioma leading to a diagnosis of POEMS syndrome.

POEMS is an acronym for polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, and skin changes. It is a poorly understood paraneoplastic syndrome that stems from an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia. Of the skin changes, the glomeruloid hemangioma is considered to be a specific marker of POEMS syndrome. We describe a 68-year-old man who presented to his dermatologist with multiple hemangiomas, whose biopsy diagnosis of glomeruloid hemangioma resulted in further evaluation and an eventual diagnosis of POEMS.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy in a patient with acute renal failure never requiring dialysis.

Nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD) is a newly recognized cutaneous fibrosing disorder. To date the etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical course remains unknown. The majority of cases have been in renal dialysis or renal transplant patients. Only four cases have been reported in which patients had acute renal failure and never required dialysis. Currently, there is no effective treatment. A 65-year-old man was hospitalized for pneumonia. During hospitalization he developed acute renal failure secondary to acute tubular necrosis. The patient had woody indurated plaques on his upper extremities and trunk, and brown indurated plaques on his trunk. Histopathological examination revealed a spindle cell proliferation infiltrating through the dermis and subcutis with mild mucin deposition. Nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy is a novel fibrosing disorder diagnosed clinically and histopatholigically. Currently no risk factors other than renal failure have been identified. Our patient is a unique example of NFD observed in acute renal failure secondary to acute tubular necrosis, never requiring dialysis. We also review the four other cases of acute NFD never requiring dialysis that have been reported in the literature.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed2006

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus: a personal approach to management.

SUMMARY Skin disease in patients with lupus erythematosus may be subdivided into two broad categories - those lesions that when biopsied demonstrate interface dermatitis and those that do not demonstrate interface dermatitis. The skin lesions that are represented by the interface dermatitis include discoid lupus erythematosus, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus and acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Patients with these 'specific' manifestations have varying degrees of systemic involvement from rare systemic disease in patients with localized discoid lupus erythematosus to common and often severe involvement in patients with acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Patients who do not demonstrate interface dermatitis also may have systemic disease and in some instances the skin manifestations are linked to some of the more severe systemic manifestations. Many patients with cutaneous lesions characterized by the interface dermatitis can be controlled with 'standard' therapies including sunscreens, protective clothing and behavioural alteration, and topical corticosteroids with or without an oral antimalarial agent. This review presents a brief summary of each common cutaneous manifestation of lupus erythematosus, its relationship to systemic involvement and treatment issues to effectively deal with the lupus erythematosus patient who has skin disease.

Combined Modality Therapy↗