Addictive behaviors, cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities in North African psoriatic patients: case-control study.

We propose to study the epidemiological aspects of North African psoriasis and determine the cardiovascular comorbidities and addictive behaviors associated with psoriasis. This is a North African case-control study which was conducted over a five year period (October 2008 through August 2013), involving 671 psoriatic patients and 1,242 controls identified in various Algerian, Tunisian and Moroccan university hospitals. For each patient, epidemiological characteristic, addictive behaviors, and cardiovascular pathologies associated with psoriasis were noted.

Madurella mycetomatis infection of the foot: a case report of a neglected tropical disease in a non-endemic region.

Background: Mycetoma is an uncommon chronic granulomatous infection of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues that can be caused by filamentous bacteria (actinomycetoma) or fungi (eumycetoma). It is the prerogative of young men between the third and fourth decade and is transmitted through any trauma causing an inoculating point. The classic clinical triad associates a painless hard and swelling subcutaneous mass, multiple fistulas, and the pathognomonic discharge of grains.

[Black henna tattoo: risk of developing allergic contact eczema].

Henna is used for coloring hair, but also to draw labile skin tattoo. Henna is often mixed with paraphenylenediamine (PPD). We report the case of a female patient presenting with contact eczema due to labile tattoo containing PPD.

What do you think of an unusual axillary mass?

Skin apocrine carcinoma is a rare malgnancy of epidermal adnexa, most frequent in axillary seat, where apocrine sweat gland are abundant, the neoplasm can arise in groin, anogenital, lips, eyelid, characterized by a plate or surface area of nodules hummocky. Etiology and incidence are not known. The prognosis is influenced by the risk of locoregional recurrence and metastatic evolution.

[Cutaneous ulceration: metastases should be suspected].

We report the case of a 68-year old patient, with a history of chronic smoking, presenting with cutaneous swelling at the level of the anterior chest wall evolving over a period of 5 months and gradually increasing in size. It was associated with gradually worsening exertional dyspnoea evolving in a context of an alteration of general state and 15kg weight loss. Mucocutaneous examination objectified rounded, well-defined cutaneous swelling measuring 5cm x 5cm, with erythematous border and with ulcerated surface (A).

[Extragenital lichen sclerosus et atrophicus: about a case].

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis, characterized by a specific external genital mucosal tissue tropism. Isolated cutaneous manifestation is rare. We report a case of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in a woman with purely cutaneous involvement, in order to highlight the importance of evoking this diagnosis in the absence of obvious genital involvement.

External ear nodule revealing a disseminated Kaposi disease.

Kaposi disease (KD) is an angiogenetic tumor process, characterized by its various clinical aspects. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial and it was attributed to HHV-8 infection. We report an original case of disseminated KD revealed by solitary lesion of external ear in a patient treated by corticosteroids for bullous pemphigoid.

EPIMAG: International Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Psoriasis Study in the Maghreb.

Background: Psoriasis is a common skin disorder that is characterized by red plaques covered with silvery scales and is associated with considerable psychosocial impact. It has been described in several studies worldwide, but specific data from the Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) are unavailable.

Objectives: To characterize the frequency of new psoriasis cases and to describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of psoriasis in the Maghreb.