Small fiber neuropathy and intractable scalp pruritus in dermatomyositis patients.

Background: Scalp pruritus is a common symptom in Dermatomyositis (DM) patients. There are indications that small nerve fibers neuropathy could be involved in this symptom, however the etiology of scalp pruritus is not fully understood.

Objectives: To assess epidermal nerve fiber (ENF) density of dermatomyositis patients with scalp pruritus by biopsy by confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry with subsequent imaging analysis.

Clinical epidemiological profile of vitiligo in children and adolescents.

94 children and 25 adolescents, 42% male and 58% female, aged predominantly between six and ten years old (40%) were studied at the Martagão Gesteira Childcare and Pediatrics Institute (Rio de Janeiro Federal University) between 2005 and 2011. The prevalent clinical form of vitiligo was the generalized type (34%). Although the clinical response was similar between the treatment modalities, we decided for low and high power topical steroids in our routine.