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Biomedical subjects

Samantha Berti

Publications and source records attributed to Samantha Berti.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus in childhood.

We report a 7-year-old girl who presented with erythematous-infiltrated, figurate, well-defined lesions over sun-exposed skin and antinuclear and Ro/SSA antibodies. Lupus band test revealed granular IgM and microgranular C3 deposits at the dermoepidermal junction. Histopathologic examination of lesional skin showed orthohyperkeratosis, epidermal atrophy, widespread hydropic degeneration of the epidermal basal cell layer, and a dermal perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltrate. The clinical, immunopathologic, and histopathologic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of annular-polycyclic variant of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE). Treatment with hydroxychloroquine cleared the cutaneous lesions. We report this patient because SCLE is extremely rare in childhood, and discuss the two previous cases reported in the literature.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cutaneous sarcoid-like granulomas in a patient with X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome.

We describe a 5-year-old boy with red-pink, firm, nodular lesions, with central resolution and prominent borders, localized to the face, backs of the hands, extensor surfaces of the arms and legs, and the buttocks. He also had recurrent bacterial respiratory infections. Quantitative immunoglobulin levels revealed hypogammaglobulinemia and increased IgM levels. Histopathologic examination of a nodular lesion revealed perivascular and periadnexal granulomas composed of epithelioid cells surrounded by a mantle of lymphocytes; three cultures for fungi and acid-fast bacilli were negative. Clinical, histopathologic, and immunologic studies supported a diagnosis of hyper-IgM (HIM) syndrome. The boy was treated with pulsed-dose antibiotics and intravenous gamma globulin every 3 weeks, with improvement of clinical symptoms. Skin lesions were treated with topical corticosteroids, with immediate recurrence upon cessation of therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of cutaneous granulomas in HIM syndrome.

Agammaglobulinemia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Atopic dermatitis exclusively localized on nipples and areolas.

We present an 11-year-old girl, with celiac disease, and a 9- month history of itchy and erythemato-edematous lesions with vesicles and exudation on her nipples and areolas. No other lesions or signs of scratching were present on her face or folds. She had no specific lesions of atopic dermatitis in typical sites nor in other body surface during her life. Patch tests showed a positive reaction to nickel and thimerosal that was not significantly related to the clinical appearance. This presentation documents the clinical relevance of atopic dermatitis minor diagnostic criteria. We discuss the importance of nipple eczema in AD and its differential diagnosis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Case study: fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution localized on alopecia androgenetica areas and unaffected scalp.

A 54-year-old man with a 24-year history of androgenetic alopecia was referred to the Department of Dermatological Sciences with follicular inflammatory lesions leading to scleroatrophy in the vertex region (Figure 1) of 1-year duration. These lesions appeared a year ago. There was no previous history of this condition. On examination, the patient showed confluent infiltrative follicular lesions on the frontoparietal and occipital scalp (Figure 2). Some lesions evolved into erosions that developed in ivory white scleroatrophy within weeks. These lesions were localized both in and outside of are as affected by alopecia androgenetica and were associated with mild pruritus. Histopathologic examination, performed on an early lesion of the vertex, documented a mild thinning of follicular epithelium associated with an intense lymphohistiocytic perifollicular infiltrate. The damage of the basal cell layer was limited to the follicle, while epidermis was intact. In particular, follicular keratinocytes under the isthmus showed a very intense degeneration exactly where the infiltrate was the most prominent. The damage of the hair sheath was under the isthmus and involved the lower portions of the follicles (including the hair bulbs). The inflammatory infiltrate was exclusively represented by perifollicular lymphohistiocytes. Finally, a connective fibrotic shell with numerous fibroblasts formed a sheath around the atrophic follicle (Figure 3). Results of laboratory investigations (including complete blood cell counts, basal thyroid-stimulating hormone, C-reactive protein, serum ferritin levels, B and C hepatitis markers, antinuclear antibodies, and cultural examinations) were negative.We diagnosed the patient with fibrosing alopecia in a pattern distribution.

Alopecia↗