Dermatology Commons^™

From A Papule To Friable Papillary Projections: A Case Of Old World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Zamanali Khakhar, Adil Salyani, Soraiya Manji, Rajiv Patel, Sayed Karar

Internal Medicine, East Africa

This case aims to characterize an unusual cutaneous manifestation in a patient with confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis, highlighting clinical features that are often underrecognized and may contribute to diagnostic uncertainty. By exploring this atypical presentation, it underscores the potential for misdiagnosis and its implications for patient management. Additionally, it emphasizes the broad spectrum of cutaneous lesions that can mimic Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis, further increasing the risk of diagnostic error.

Investigating The Role Of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine For Cancer Symptom Management In Older Adults: A Rapid Review, Isabelle C. Karshner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Patients with cancer often experience symptoms related to disease, complications, and treatment. One potential method of alleviating these symptoms is traditional Chinese herbal medications (TCHM). This rapid review explores the role of traditional Chinese herbal medications in treating cancer-related symptoms in older adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this rapid review is to gain and provide a better understanding of the effects of TCHM on cancer-symptom management in the older adult population. This review explores the association between TCHM and effects on cancer symptoms in older adults, including interactions, toxicity, and signs/symptoms of TCHM use that may be useful information …

Laboratory Monitoring In Patients With Moderate To Severe Plaque Psoriasis, Jonathan M. Fenkel, John A. Osborne, April W. Armstrong, Bruce Strober, Linda Stein Gold, Michael Cameron, Mark Lebwohl

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Plaque psoriasis is a common immune-mediated disease associated with various comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, psoriatic arthritis, liver disease, and mood disorders. Biologic and small-molecule therapies are efficacious and well tolerated in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. However, dermatologists may be uncertain about appropriate laboratory monitoring in patients treated with these therapies, especially those with comorbidities.

METHODS: This review summarizes prescribing information and provides expert recommendations based on real-world experience in the monitoring of concerning laboratory values in patients with psoriasis.

RESULTS: Individualized monitoring is essential for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks associated with biologic …

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Leading To A New Diagnosis Of Sweet Syndrome And Monoclonal Gammopathy Of Unknown Significance, Nidhi Rawat, Meron Gebrehiwot, Jason Raw, Jeyaprakash Ramachandran

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

We present a rare case of Sweet syndrome with underlying monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) which initially presented as upper respiratory tract infection.

Case Presentation

A 52-year-old woman presented with a complaint of sore throat for 6 days, productive cough and fever for 5 days, and red, pruritic, circular, tender rashes on face, arms and trunk for 2 days. There was a past history of similar self-limiting rashes presenting intermittently for 1.5 years. She also reported to be taking tablet ibuprofen, as required for the past 1-2 years, for cervical spondylosis. On integumentary examination, widespread, red, tender, annular …

Atypical Presentation Of Eruptive Syringomas On The Forearms Of A 19-Year-Old Patient, Margo Waters, Sami Osman, Jacob Hostetter, Joy Mosser-Goldfarb

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Current Trends In School Nursing For Diabetes & Dermatology, Ali Al-Nahi, Jeffrey Dickerson, Enith Espinosa Palmett, Shterna Frand, Garrett Furth, Matthew Gutzmer, Marshall Hall, Sana Khan, Shana-Kay Lambert-Johnson, Henry Lim, Kelly Mofor, Lakshmi Morla, Ali Nazim, Rui Zhang, Christian Scheufele, Zara Soomro, Michele Mccarroll, Taylor Pickering, Jasmine Silva, Brina Gonzalez, Devika Adusumilli, Sherri Morgan, Nischal Pokhrel

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Background: School nurses are on the front lines of assessing, identifying and treating school-age children with a number of health complications. Implementing nursing services in schools has previously demonstrated improved medical care costs for students, less productivity loss for parents, and less productivity loss for teachers. As a result, nursing services in schools provide a cost-beneficial investment of public money, and warrant both financial support from policy makers as well as educational support from local healthcare services. Aim Statement: This quality improvement project addressed the targeted continuing education gap topics of Dermatology and Diabetes management in school age children. Methods: …

The Critical Role Of Early Diagnosis, Multidisciplinary Management, And Social Determinants In Eczema Herpeticum: A Case Study Of A 24-Year-Old Man, Benjamin R. Cooper, Taha Rasul, Christian Castro-Ruiz, Karthik Krishnamurthy

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

An Unusual Presentation Of Erythrodermic Psoriasis, Eden L. Parks, Kojo-Frimpong B. Awuah Md, Caitlin D. Couper Md

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Erythrodermic psoriasis is a rare form of psoriasis, occurring in less than 3% of patients with psoriasis. Limited information is known regarding diagnosis and treatment for this form of psoriasis, with most studies involving small groups or single patients. This unusual case of erythrodermic psoriasis outlines the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment that occurred in a 53-year-old patient who initially presented with dyspnea and a fever.

Case Presentation

The 53-year-old patient was originally admitted for dyspnea and a fever. A maculopapular rash developed diffusely on the upper extremities, lower extremities, trunk, and face. The rash then desquamated over several days, …

A Case Of Herpes Zoster In An Immunocompetent 19-Year-Old Female, Martin Nguyen, Jennifer Read, Emma Filary, Aaron Mcguffin

Marshall Journal of Medicine

This case report describes the unusual presentation of herpes zoster in a fully vaccinated teenage patient and highlights management considerations. The patient is a 19-year-old female who presented with pain in her left lower back, side, and upper thigh for approximately 3 days, which was then followed by the eruption of a vesicular rash along the L2 dermatome consistent with herpes zoster. Herpes zoster is predominantly observed only in elderly and immunocompromised individuals, primarily due to the widespread use of the varicella-zoster virus vaccine for children since 1995, when it became part of the routine immunization schedule. However, this case …

Fibroblast Subpopulations In Systemic Sclerosis: Functional Implications Of Individual Subpopulations And Correlations With Clinical Features, Honglin Zhu, Hui Luo, Brian Skaug, Tracy Tabib, Yi-Nan Li, Yongguang Tao, Alexandru-Emil Matei, Marka A Lyons, Georg Schett, Robert Lafyatis, Shervin Assassi, Jörg H W Distler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fibroblasts constitute a heterogeneous population of cells. In this study, we integrated single-cell RNA-sequencing and bulk RNA-sequencing data as well as clinical information to study the role of individual fibroblast populations in systemic sclerosis (SSc). SSc skin demonstrated an increased abundance of COMP+, COL11A1+, MYOC+, CCL19+, SFRP4/SFRP2+, and PRSS23/SFRP2+ fibroblasts signatures and decreased proportions of CXCL12+ and PI16+ fibroblast signatures in the Prospective Registry of Early Systemic Sclerosis and Genetics versus Environment in Scleroderma Outcome Study cohorts. Numerical differences were confirmed by multicolor immunofluorescence for selected fibroblast populations. COMP+, COL11A1+, SFRP4/SFRP2+, PRSS23/SFRP2+, and PI16+ fibroblasts were similarly altered between normal …

Presentations Of Cutaneous Disease In Various Skin Pigmentations: Chronic Atopic Dermatitis, Cecilia Nguyen, Jordan Thompson, Daniel A. Nguyen, Christopher M. Wong, Christian J. Scheufele, Michael Carletti, Stephen E. Weis

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder classically affecting flexural areas of the body. It is present in children and adults, including those with darker skin pigmentation. Chronic lesions are hyperpigmented plaques that are dry, cracked, and/or scaly often with lichenification. Differential diagnoses include psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, ichthyosis, and pityriasis rosea. This article will showcase clinical images with varying presentations of chronic atopic dermatitis in a range of age groups and skin colors according to the Fitzpatrick scale.

Hiding In Plain Sight; Dermatologic Manifestation Of A Systemic Disease, Christopher Ignatz, David Young Do, Brian Chwiecko Md

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Risk Of Developing Hypertension In Atopic Dermatitis Patients Receiving Long-Term And Low-Dose Cyclosporine: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study, Yu Ri Woo, Arum Choi, Seo Won Song, Suyeun Kim, Sang Wook Son, Sang Hyun Cho, Sukil Kim, Jung Eun Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cyclosporine (CS) is a first-line immunosuppressive agent used to manage moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD). To date, the risk of developing hypertension associated with the long-term use of low-dose CS in AD patients is understudied.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cumulative dose-dependent effect of CS on the risk of developing hypertension in patients with AD.

METHODS: A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort with 1,844,009 AD patients was built from the Korean National Health Insurance System database from 2005 to 2009. A Cox proportional-hazard regression analysis was performed according to patients' CS treatment history adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS: Current use …

The Utility Of Interventional Anesthesia, Kylie Daguio, Kiley Jackson, Samantha Boever, Andrew Chang, James Keane, Leonard B. Goldstein

SOMA Faculty Publications

no abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus And Lupus Nephritis Presenting As Severe Constitutional Symptoms, Ton La, Sahifah Ansari, Ethan Ha, Matthew Novakovic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a remitting-relapsing systemic autoantibody and immune complex disease with a similar clinical presentation to that of malignancy and infection. The authors report a case of newly diagnosed SLE and lupus nephritis in a 48-year-old woman with constitutional symptoms and unintentional weight loss. Her presentation was further complicated by pericardial effusion and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) facial cellulitis and bacteremia. In the context of nonspecific symptoms and a wide initial differential diagnosis, the early consideration of rheumatologic etiologies and the involvement of consultant services led to appropriate diagnostic testing and a timely diagnosis.

Advancing Virtual At-Home Care For Community Health Center Patients Using Patient Self-Care Tools, Technology, And Education [Letter], Cheryl Modica, Joy H. Lewis, Curtis Bay

SOMA Faculty Publications

Abstract

Introduction

Health centers are community-based, patient directed primary care providers that offer accessible, high-quality primary care within medically underserved communities. Screening for cancer and managing complex chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and depression are vital services for the vulnerable populations seen by community health centers. Delivering care for complex chronic conditions and preventive services using virtual models that integrate self-care tools and technology is an important approach to increasing access for hard-to-reach patients served by health centers.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the use of a virtual care model, applied using a systems approach and patient-driven …

Cases From A Community Hospital…Jchimp Series #2: 66-Year-Old Man With Recurrent Painful Rashes And Oral Ulcerations, Fatima Halilu, Jing Wu, Joseph Fuscaldo, Nathan Dunsmore, Zain Syed, Pauline Daley

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

This is part of a series of case reports detailing scenarios from our community hospital. The cases are selected to feature clinical dilemmas, provide a review on what is currently known about the topic with expert perspective. A 66-year-old black man presented to the primary care clinic with his fourth episode of generalized painful rash and oral ulcerations without a diagnosis despite two emergency room (ED) visits alongside doxycycline treatment. Symptoms interfered with daily activities with skin exam notable for widespread erythematous patches and plaques. In office biopsies were obtained with final diagnosis of erythema multiforme. Etiologic workup revealed positive …

The Importance Of A Broad Differential Diagnosis: Hepatitis C Virus Associated Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis, Shadi Jafari-Esfahani, Christine E. Loftis, Juan Naranjo, Emilia Dulgheru

Research Symposium

Introduction: Mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome (MCS) is a systemic inflammatory syndrome affecting small-medium sized vessels due to the presence of type II or III cryoglobulins in the serum. MSC can manifest as systemic vasculitis with symptoms varying from weakness, arthralgia, palpable purpura, peripheral neuropathy, and renal involvement. The most common cause of MCS includes lymphoproliferative disorders, autoimmune diseases and viral infections, with hepatitis C virus (HCV) being the most common etiology.

Case Presentation: A 60-year-old lady was referred to our office for evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis. She reported history of bilateral thumb pain, bilateral knee pain associated with episodes of swelling, …

Patchy Alopecia In A Young Adult With A Generalized Rash, Oscar Rodrigo Zamudio Herrera, Nevin Varghese

Research Symposium

Background: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that has been increasing in the United States. The prevalence of syphilis rose by 6.8% during 2019-to 2020. Secondary syphilis typically presents with a generalized maculopapular rash on palms and soles, however, can also have subtle dermatological findings such as alopecia. Syphilitic alopecia is an atypical manifestation of secondary syphilis, seen in 2.9 to 7% of the cases.

Case presentation: An 18-year-old Hispanic male presented to the clinic after noticing patchy loss of hair on the scalp for 2 weeks and one week of generalized non pruritic rash. His past medical history was …

Atopic Dermatitis And The Risk Of Myocardial Infarction And All-Cause Mortality: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study, Yu Ri Woo, Minah Cho, Kyung Do Han, Sang Hyun Cho, Ji Hyun Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with various comorbidities. However, inconsistent results on the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and mortality have been reported in patients with AD. This study was aimed to evaluate the risk of MI and all-cause mortality in patients with AD.

METHODS: This nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study enrolled 56,205 adults ≥ 20 years of age with AD and 3,825,609 controls without AD from the Korean National Health Service (NHIS) database from 2009 to 2016.

RESULTS: The risk of MI (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.111, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.050-1.176) was …

Accidental Extravasation Of Mitomycin C Into The Subcutaneous Tissue, Johnathon Chung, Brooke Walterscheid, Jose Lopez-Vera, Hytham Rashid, Mike K. Liang

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Mitomycin C (MMC) is a common chemotherapeutic agent used to treat a variety of solid tumors. Cutaneous adverse events are rare, but MMC is a known vesicant reported to cause tissue necrosis and sloughing, erythema, and ulceration if incorrectly infused into the subcutaneous tissue. Definitive treatment of extravasation injuries due to MMC depends on the severity of the cutaneous manifestation, which includes stopping the infusion, removing the catheter, or possible debridement.

Case Presentation

We present the case of a 70-year-old female with extensive soft-tissue injury secondary to extravasation of MMC that required hospital admission and surgical intervention to remove …

Death Due To Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia And Systemic Symptoms (Dress) Syndrome: A Case Report, Samantha P. Sternad, Jane Pangburn, Chad Johnston, David Rowe

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a life-threatening, multi-organ adverse drug reaction with an incidence of 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10 000 highrisk drug exposures.

Case Presentation

An elderly female presented to the hospital with progressive weakness and a diffuse erythematous macular rash covering most of her body that started 3 days prior. Over the next 3 days, the patient quickly deteriorated, developing disorientation with acute onset left-sided weakness, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, liver and kidney failure, and hypoxia. Clinical and histological changes supported the diagnosis of DRESS syndrome caused by intravenous (IV) ampicillin …

Exploring Hapi Incidence In Patients Admitted Through The Ed: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Alexa L. Tietgens

DNP Projects

Each year in the U.S., pressure injuries, or PIs, are responsible for more than 60,000 patient deaths and billions of dollars’ worth of treatment costs. Research shows that roughly 95% of all PIs are preventable by following evidence-based practice guidelines which include early identification of patients at risk, frequent skin assessments, and implementation of prevention strategies. However, the ED environment creates unique risks for PI development due to the routine use of hard surfaces (i.e., stretchers, backboards, exam tables) and frequent hospital overcrowding. Although nurses play a pivotal role in PI prevention, frequent staffing shortages, high patient acuity levels, and …

Trigeminal Trophic Syndrome In A Pediatric Patient With Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma., Ezra Hoover, Ryan Jay, Patricia Witman

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

A 13-year-old girl with a history of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) suffered from progressively worsening facial ulcerations secondary to paresthesia-induced self-excoriation. She was diagnosed with trigeminal trophic syndrome (TTS) induced by DIPG and struggled to heal her lesions in the background of this excoriation disorder. A multidisciplinary approach that included mood disorder management with sertraline and amitriptyline helped diminish paresthesia, improve her quality of life, and promote healing of the ulcers despite the progression of her DIPG. This case highlights the multifactorial complexity of TTS in pediatric patients and the need for successful management strategies.

Reduced Spag17 Expression In Systemic Sclerosis Triggers Myofibroblast Transition And Drives Fibrosis, Paulene Sapao, Elisha D O Roberson, Bo Shi, Shervin Assassi, Brian Skaug, Fred Lee, Alexandra Naba, Bethany E Perez White, Carlos Córdova-Fletes, Pei-Suen Tsou, Amr H Sawalha, Johann E Gudjonsson, Feiyang Ma, Priyanka Verma, Dibyendu Bhattacharyya, Mary Carns, Jerome F Strauss, Delphine Sicard, Daniel J Tschumperlin, Melissa I Champer, Paul J Campagnola, Maria E Teves, John Varga

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a clinically heterogeneous fibrotic disease with no effective treatment. Myofibroblasts are responsible for unresolving synchronous skin and internal organ fibrosis in SSc, but the drivers of sustained myofibroblast activation remain poorly understood. Using unbiased transcriptome analysis of skin biopsies, we identified the downregulation of SPAG17 in multiple independent cohorts of patients with SSc, and by orthogonal approaches, we observed a significant negative correlation between SPAG17 and fibrotic gene expression. Fibroblasts and endothelial cells explanted from SSc skin biopsies showed reduced chromatin accessibility at the SPAG17 locus. Remarkably, mice lacking Spag17 showed spontaneous skin fibrosis with increased …

Dermatologic Manifestations Of Rheumatic Disease: Cutaneous Manifestations Of Vasculitides, Julianna S. Kang, Julia Nunley, Tiffany Ho, Mavra Masood, Fnu Nutan, Beth Rubinstein

Open and Affordable Course Content at VCU

No abstract provided.

Dermatologic Manifestations Of Rheumatic Disease: Malignant Cutaneous Tumors, Divya Shan, Julianna S. Kang, Allison Cinats, Julia R. Nunley, Beth Rubinstein

Open and Affordable Course Content at VCU

No abstract provided.

Urticarial Rash In A Patient With Alpha-Gal Syndrome Caused By Subcutaneous Heparin At Prophylactic Dosing: A Case Report, Russell G. Behmer, Randolph S. Thomas, Hani T. Jarawan

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: We report a patient with a history of red meat allergy, or alpha-gal syndrome, who had an urticarial rash after exposure to unfractionated heparin at a dose typically used for prophylaxis of deep venous thrombosis. Although anaphylactic reactions have been reported with systemic intravenous heparin, we believe this case is the first report of an immunoglobulin E–mediated reaction to subcutaneous heparin at prophylactic dosing.

Clinical Findings: An 85-year-old male had a 3-year history of red meat allergy and was intolerant of pork and beef. He developed an immunoglobulin E–mediated allergic reaction to subcutaneous heparin at a dose of 5000 …

Skin Cancer Education Interventions For Primary Care Providers: A Scoping Review, Ashley E Brown, Maleka Najmi, Taylor Duke, Daniel A Grabell, Misha V Koshelev, Kelly C Nelson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Primary care physicians (PCPs) are often the first line of defense against skin cancers. Despite this, many PCPs do not receive a comprehensive training in skin conditions. Educational interventions aimed at skin cancer screening instruction for PCPs offer an opportunity to detect skin cancer at earlier stages and subsequent improved morbidity and mortality. A scoping review was conducted to collect data about previously reported skin cancer screening interventions for PCPs. A structured literature search found 51 studies describing 37 unique educational interventions. Curriculum elements utilized by the interventions were divided into categories that would facilitate comparison including curriculum components, delivery …

Presentations Of Cutaneous Disease In Various Skin Pigmentations: Inverse Psoriasis, Daniel A. Nguyen, Henry Lim, Christopher M. Wong, Christian J. Scheufele, Ashleigh E. Hermann, Jean Elizze M. Charles, Michael Carletti, Stephen E. Weis

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Inverse psoriasis is a clinical variant of psoriasis involving flexural or intertriginous areas of the body. Inverse psoriasis may be present in 3 to 36% of psoriasis patients. Lesions are clinically characterized as smooth, well-demarcated, erythematous plaques (raised, >1 cm) without the typical silvery scales of classic psoriasis. Differential diagnosis includes tinea infection, candidiasis, seborrheic dermatitis, or bacterial streptococcal infection. The clinical images in this review focus on identifying inverse psoriasis along the full spectrum of skin tones.