[Yellow nail syndrome. Three cases].

Yellow nail syndrome is an uncommon diagnosis established on the basis of clinical presentation with slow-growing yellow discolored nails, lymphedema, and pulmonary manifestations. We report 3 new cases with their pulmonary component.

Subepidermal autoimmune bullous skin diseases associated with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

The development of several types of autoimmune disorders is well known in the course of B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases. In order to investigate whether these autoimmune diseases may target cutaneous antigens, especially those of the dermal-epidermal junction, we conducted a retrospective analysis of all cutaneous direct immunofluorescence studies performed in patients with B-cell neoplasia who presented with cutaneous lesions requiring a skin biopsy. Patients with linear deposits of immunoglobulin or C3 molecules at the dermal-epidermal junction were studied further, using immunoblotting and immunoelectron microscopy.

Closing remarks.

Drawing the meeting to a close, co-chairman Dr. Selim Aractingi said that it is now clear that local immune factors are important in determining the regression of warts, and that imiquimod appears to mimic the mechanism of immunity occuring in people in whom warts regress without treatment. He summarised the main presentation points, stating that topical imiquimod 5% - when applied three times each week overnight at home - is an effective therapy with acceptable side effects.

Introduction.

Anogenital warts have become one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases reported in the Western World. The frustration of treatment for both patient and carer is well recognised. Current available methods rely principally on ablation of visible lesions, with hospital-based treatments often requiring multiple attendance by out-patients.

Fetal DNA in skin of polymorphic eruptions of pregnancy.

Background: Polymorphic eruptions of pregnancy (PEP) are common cutaneous disorders of unknown origin that occur usually after week 34 of gestation. Since pregnancy is associated with peripheral-blood chimerism, particularly during the third trimester, we studied the role of fetal cells in the development of the skin lesions.

Methods: We studied samples of skin from ten women with PEP who were carrying male fetuses and 26 women with normal skin or non-PEP skin disorders (13 carrying male and 13 carrying female fetuses).

[Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis associated with relapse of acute myeloblastic leukemia].

Background: Neutrophilic eccrine hidradentitis is a recently described clinical entity. Most reported cases have occurred in patients given chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia, suggesting a drug induced mechanism. Some authors have considered however that neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis belongs to the group of neutrophilic dermatoses.

[Epithelioid sarcoma manifesting as chronic plantar arch ulceration].

Background: Epitheloid sarcoma is an uncommon malignant soft tissue tumor observed in the distal extremities of young men. We report a case of long standing ulceration of the sole which was found to be an epithelioid sarcoma.

Case Report: A 78-year-old woman had an indolent ulceration of the left sole for several months.

Cutaneous graft-versus-host disease.

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) includes inflammatory and/or fibrosing manifestations that may arise at various times after transplantation of any organ containing lymphoid cells. For the dermatologist, the importance of GvHD is real and current. Indeed, because it has become easier to perform bone marrow transplantation (EMT), the indications of BMT have become broader, making follow-up of patients receiving grafts a widespread practice.

Short- and long-term follow-up of thyroid dysfunction after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation without the use of preparative total body irradiation.

We studied the incidence and potential prognostic value of thyroid abnormalities after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) without total body irradiation (TBI) conditioning. 77 consecutive patients who received a chemotherapy-alone-based conditioning regimen pretransplant were included. Free serum thyroxine (FT4), free serum triiodothyronine (FT3) and serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels were assayed before and 3 and 14 months after BMT.

PML is expressed in chronic graft-versus-host disease lesions.

The PML (for 'ProMyelocytic Leukemia') gene product is a nuclear zinc finger protein, identified when the chromosomal translocation fusing this gene to the retinoic acid receptor was found in acute promyelocytic leukemia. Recently, a frequent occurrence of autoantibodies against the PML protein was detected in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) sera, suggesting that this protein could represent an autoantigenic trigger in PBC. Chronic GVHD features are close to those of PBC and in addition, antinuclear and antinucleolar antibodies are frequently detected in patients' sera.