Vascular effects of a local anesthetic mixture in atopic dermatitis

An anesthetic cream with an eutectic mixture of 5% lidocaine and 5% prilocaine has been tested on the skin of healthy subjects and patients with atopic dermatitis and generalized eczema. In healthy subjects a blanching was seen when the analgesia was complete after 30-60 min. In the dry skin and eczematous lesions of atopic dermatitis an application time of 5-15 min caused a blanching and a good analgesia. When applied for 30-60 min the eczematous skin became increasingly red and in one patient purpura appeared. The white dermographism turned red in treated areas. The abnormal vascular reactions to the cream in diseased skin can be explained by a rapid and increased percutaneous absorption of the anesthetics. A shortened application time is here recommended.     

Local blanching after epicutaneous application of EMLA cream. A double-blind randomized study among 50 healthy volunteers

EMLA cream is a topical formulation based upon the eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine and is used in clinical settings to produce local analgesia after application under occlusive dressing. A blanching reaction has been reported to occur locally after application, but it is not clear whether this reaction is caused by the anesthetic mixture, by the vehicle or the occlusion. We studied this blanching reaction in 50 healthy volunteers in a double-blind randomized assay: EMLA versus placebo, under occlusive dressing for 1 h, each subject being his own control. We found 33 cases (66%) of blanching after application of EMLA cream versus 3 cases (6%) after placebo, this difference being highly significant. Blanching was observed without delay, after removal of the dressing, and was very transient, disappearing in less than 3 h in all cases. We thus conclude that the blanching reaction is (1) frequent but very transient, and (2) determined by the anesthetic mixture included in EMLA cream and not by the vehicle alone, nor by the occlusion, since it is not found with the placebo. The precise mechanism of this reaction is unknown.     

Purpura caused by Emla® is of toxic origin

Emla® cream has been widely used as a local anaesthetic for superficial procedures. Blanching and redness are commonly observed side-effects. We observed purpura in 5 patients after application of Emla®. Other authors have not reported this before. In 4 patients, purpura was observed after 30 min Emla® application before the treatment of mollusca contagiosa. In 1 patient, Emla® was used for 60 min before taking a lip biopsy. In these patients, patch tests were performed with the individual ingredients of Emla® cream. Emla® cream itself, placebo cream, and Tegaderm® plaster. All tests were negative at an early reading alter 30 min as well as after 2 and 3 days. We concluded that the purpuric reaction was not of an allergic nature. Possibly, it was caused by a toxic effect on the capillary endothelium.     

EMLA cream-induced irritant contact dermatitis

BACKGROUND: The Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (EMLA cream) is a topical anesthetic used for providing pain relief in patients undergoing superficial surgical procedures. Cutaneous side-effects have been reported rarely. CASE REPORT: We present a case of irritant contact dermatitis induced by EMLA cream in a 6-year-old boy with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Our patient showed clinically a well circumscribed patch corresponding to the site of application of the topical anesthetic. Histopathology showed confluent necrosis of keratinocytes in the upper epidermis, a mixed inflammatory infiltrate with priminent neutrophils in the upper dermis, and focal signs of interface changes including basal cell vacuolization and subepidermal cleft formation. CONCLUSIONS: Graft-vs.-host-disease (GVHD), necrolytic migratory erythema, dermatitis enteropathica and pellagra should be considered in the histopathologic differential diagnosis of acute contact dermatitis caused by EMLA.     

Pigmented purpuric contact dermatitis from Disperse Blue 106 and 124 dyes

The diagnosis of purpura pigmentosa progressiva in a female patient had to be changed to purpuric contact dermatitis after patch testing with textile dyes. A modified patch test performed in the area in which most of her skin lesions were located revealed a petechial reaction to the azo dye Disperse Blue 124/106. For evaluation of purpura pigmentosa progressiva we suggest a patch test with potential allergens, and, especially for textile dyes, a patch test at the lesion site may be helpful.     

Purpuric contact dermatitis in patients with allergic reaction to textile dyes and resins

BACKGROUND: Purpuric lesions have been described as an uncommon manifestation of allergic contact dermatitis in individual case reports. OBJECTIVE: We describe a series of patients who developed purpuric allergic contact dermatitis to textile dyes and resins in their personal clothing. Our purpose was to study the patients clinically and histopathologically and to define the most frequent allergens, which cause purpuric allergic contact dermatitis. METHODS: One hundred and three patients were clinically evaluated and tested with the Textile Color & Finish Series (TCFS) (Chemotechnique Diagnostics) and Standard Series (TRUE Tests) because of suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to clothing. The patients with clinical features of purpura as presenting sign of ACD were studied. Biopsies from the purpuric lesions were performed in three patients. RESULTS: Thirty of the 103 patients (29.1%) had positive reaction to an allergen from the TCFS. Clinically purpuric ACD was observed in 8.7% of all the cases studied (n = 9 of 103). Nine of the 30 patch-positive patients to the TCFS (30%) demonstrated purpuric macules, papules and patches. Patch testing of the nine patients with purpuric contact dermatitis, with the TCFS, resulted in 26 positive patch test results. The major causative allergens were the following: Disperse Blue 106 and Disperse Blue 124 in 26.9% each, Disperse Blue 85 in 11.5%, and ethyleneurea melamine formaldehyde in 7.7%. Positive patch tests were observed to dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, dimethylol propyleneurea, tetramethylol acetylenediurea, urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, Disperse Red 17, and Basic Red 46 3.8% in each. Purpuric patch test reaction was observed in five cases. The patch test results had present relevance in all the cases. Lesional biopsies demonstrated acanthosis, spongiosis and parakeratosis. The blood vessels were dilated, without signs of vasculitis. The inflammatory infiltrate was composed of lymphocytes and erythrocytes. The extravasated erythrocytes had a perivascular and interstitial distribution in the superficial and deep plexus and were observed at the dermo-epidermal junction as well as in the epidermis. CONCLUSION: Purpuric contact dermatitis is not an uncommon clinical form of ACD to textile dyes and resins. New allergens, which can evoke the development of purpuric allergic contact dermatitis and have not been described in the literature until now include: ethyleneurea melamineformaldehyde, dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea, tetramethylol acetylenediurea, urea formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde and Disperse Red 17.     

Cutaneous lymphoma manifesting as pigmented, purpuric capillaries]

INTRODUCTION: A few cases of patients with both purpuric pigmented dermatitis and cutaneous lymphoma have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of purpuric pigmented dermatitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a monocentric retrospective study at the dermatology department of the university hospital of Strasbourg. The records of all patients hospitalized for purpuric pigmented dermatitis between 1967 and 1997 have been reviewed. RESULTS: Eight women and 9 men aged between 17 and 84 years were hospitalized for purpuric pigmented dermatitis during the reference period. Except for one patient, all had had a cutaneous biopsy showing the typical features of purpuric pigmented dermatitis. On the basis of clinical signs and course, one patient was thought to have contact dermatitis and three patients were thought to have a purpuric pigmented dermatitis-like drug eruption (meprobannate, pefloxacine and lorazepam or aspirin). The mean follow-up was one year. During follow-up, two patients developed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma after two and four years respectively and one patient developed Hodgkin's disease with skin and lymph node involvement. Another patient who suffered from purpuric pigmented dermatitis for four years had a monoclonal T cell population within the dermal infiltrate. Two patients died of their lymphoma. DISCUSSION: This study shows that purpuric pigmented dermatitis can be associated to or evolve into lymphoproliferative disease. This course should be suspected when purpuric pigmented dermatitis is extensive, long-lasting (> 1 year), has a reticular arrangement and negative patch-testing. In this situation, a long-term follow-up and treatments indicated in the early patch stage of mycosis fungoides (PUVA therapy, chlormethine) seem adequate.     

Hydrogel barrier/repair creams and contact dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Barrier creams are important to protect the skin in occupations with chemical exposure. The value of hydrogels in barrier creams has never been studied. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current technology in barrier cream formulation and explore the utility of hygrogels in skin protection. METHODS: A total of 80 men, women, and children between the ages of newborn to 80 years >were studied with the following dermatologic conditions: household hand dermatitis (21), occupational hand dermatitis (18), latex glove irritant contact dermatitis (9), diaper dermatitis (5), cutaneous wounds (17), and allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) (10). In this study, the investigators used a split body approach, in a double-blind randomized fashion, where one body site was treated with a traditional petrolatum-based cream while the other body site was treated with a hydrogel-based barrier/repair cream. Both subject and investigator assessments were recorded by questionnaire. RESULTS: The hydrogel barrier/repair cream showed better skin improvement than the petrolatum-based cream in both subject assessment (62%, P =.0048) and investigator assessment (75%, P =.0000003). CONCLUSION: Hydrogel barrier/repair creams might represent a new, effective approach to skin protection.     

Frequency of sensitization to methyl aminolaevulinate after photodynamic therapy

Background:  Allergic contact dermatitis to methyl aminolaevulinate (Metvix™) after topical application in photodynamic therapy (PDT) has previously been described in case reports.
Objective:  To compare the frequency of sensitization to Metvix^® cream in a group of patients previously treated at least five times with Metvix-PDT with the frequency observed in an unexposed control group.
Methods:  Twenty patients treated five times or more with Metvix-PDT and 60 controls with no prior exposure to Metvix^® were patch tested with Metvix^® cream and Metvix^® placebo cream. Subsequently, the patients were interviewed to determine the relevance of a positive patch test reaction to Metvix^®.
Results:  Of 20 patients treated with Metvix-PDT, 7 were sensitized to Metvix^® cream, giving a sensation risk of 35%. In the control group, 1 of 60 became sensitized after a single exposure to Metvix^® cream (1.7%). There was no reaction to the placebo cream. The positive patch tests to Metvix^® were considered relevant in four of seven patients (57%).
Conclusions:  This study demonstrates a considerable risk of sensitization after Metvix-PDT. We suggest that the patients are interviewed to detect late or persistent local reactions after PDT. These reactions are often considered to be local infections but may represent allergic contact dermatitis, and therefore, patients should be offered patch testing with Metvix^® cream.     

A Case of Eczematid‐Like Purpura of Doucas and Kapetanakis in a Child

Eczematid‐like purpura of Doucas and Kapetanakis is a subtype of the pigmented purpuric dermatoses, a group of uncommon dermatoses of unclear etiology characterized by purpura, petechiae, and hyperpigmentation. The Doucas and Kapetanakis subtype is rare in children, and its subtle findings can initially be overlooked and mistaken for other, more common dermatologic disorders in this age group. We present a case eczematid‐like purpura of Doucas and Kapetanakis in an 11‐year‐old boy initially treated as eczema.     

Narrowband UVB treatment of pigmented purpuric lichenoid dermatitis (Gougerot–Blum)

Pigmented purpuric dermatoses are a group of dermatoses characterized clinically by pinpoint petechia and purpura on a brown, red or yellow base. Five diseases are included in the group of pigmented purpuric eruptions which significantly overlap clinically and histologically. Phototherapy in various forms of purpuric dermatoses has been reported in literature previously. Here we present a case of pigmented purpuric lichenoid dermatitis which rapidly cleared with narrowband UVB therapy.     

The purpuric patch test in patients with allergic contact dermatitis from azo dyes

The histopathological features of the purpuric patch test have been described in individual cases only. We report a series of patients with allergic contact dermatitis, who developed purpuric patch tests at the sites of allergens from the azo dye group. 105 patients were clinically evaluated and tested with the TRUE Test and the textile color & finish series (Chemotechnique Diagnostics) because of suspected clothing dermatitis. Positive results to the latter were found in 31 patients (29.5%). In 9 of these, purpuric patch tests were observed at the sites of the allergens Disperse Blue 124, 106 and 85. 10 biopsies were performed and studied. The histopathological changes of the purpuric patch test included: spongiosis (in 90% of cases), exocytosis (70%), and dilated blood vessels (100%) without signs of vasculitis, surrounded by an inflammatory infiltrate composed mainly of T lymphocytes. Extravasated erythrocytes were seen perivascularly, but also in the interstitium, surrounding the acrosyringium, at the dermoepidermal junction, and in the epidermis. Increased number of mast cells were found in 22.2% of cases. Disperse Blue 124, 106, and 85 are potent allergens that can elicit purpuric patch test reactions. The purpuric patch test in our cases was a manifestation of an allergic reaction, based not only on histopathological changes, but also on evolution and relevance of the patch tests.     

Seizures and Methemoglobinemia After Topical Application of Eutectic Mixture of Lidocaine and Prilocaine on a 3.5‐Year‐Old Child with Molluscum Contagiosum and Atopic Dermatitis

A eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine (EMLA) is used topically to provide local anesthesia for a variety of painful superficial procedures. Although the side effects of EMLA are usually mild and transient local reactions, potentially life‐threatening complications can occur. We report a case of generalized seizures and methemoglobinemia after topical application of EMLA for curettage of molluscum contagiosum lesions in a 3.5‐year‐old girl with atopic dermatitis.     

Kontaktallergie durch Bufexamac unter dem Bild einer chronischen Pigmentpurpura

We report on a case of a bufexamac-induced allergic contact dermatitis with hematogenous dissemination presenting with the clinical and histological picture of a pigmented purpuric eruption. To our knowledge this is the first report on a bufexamac-induced pigmented purpuric dermatosis. It represents a further example of the clinical variety of cutaneous side-effects caused by bufexamac.     

Tobacco contact dermatitis caused by sensitivity to sorbic acid

BACKGROUND: Contact dermatitis caused by tobacco is rare and poorly understood. In this paper, we report what is to our knowledge, the first case of tobacco contact dermatitis with identification of the causative agent. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 46-year-old man was hospitalised for diffuse dermatitis originating in the left leg. Subsequent epicutaneous tests indicated that this dermatitis was ascribable to sensitisation to the sorbic acid present in Fucidin cream applied around a chronic wound. A persistent plaque of eczema observed on the day of examination opposite the patient's right trouser pocket suggested the implication of tobacco powder with which the pocket was soiled. An epicutaneous test using tobacco (moistened in water) proved positive (++ at 48 and 72 h). This tobacco contained sorbic acid, used as a preservative. DISCUSSION: The positive test for sorbic acid was relevant not only regarding the lesions on the patient's legs (application of a topical cream containing sorbic acid) but also for the lesion on the patient's thigh and for palmar dyshidrosis (through contact with strands of loose rolling tobacco). To our knowledge, this is the first recorded case of contact dermatitis caused by sorbic acid in tobacco.     

No evidence of contact sensitization to acyclovir in acute dermatitis of the lips following local application of Zovirax cream

We report 4 patients with acute contact dermatitis of the lips following application of Zovirax cream. Patch tests with pure acyclovir, and combinations of the ingredients of the cream base, with and without acyclovir, provided no evidence of sensitization to any constituent of the cream.     

Irritant and allergic reactions to topically applied Micatin® cream

Miconazole nitrate (Micatin cream) is a potent antifungal agent. Few side effects have been reported with topical application. We report on 10 patients who exhibited an intolerance to topical use of this drug. Most of the reactions were irritant in nature but in two instances, an allergic contact dermatitis was observed. Patch tests were positive to the cream base.     

Contact dermatitis from Agave americana

Numerous plant species and their derivatives can cause skin reactions through a variety of mechanisms: irritative contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, contact urticaria and photodermatitis. We present a case of irritative contact dermatitis after exposure to the sap of Agave americana. The skin symptoms in this case have only been described on rare occasions; although this condition usually presents with a papulovesicular rash, in this patient it appeared as purpuric lesions in the contact area.     

The three moments of skin cream application: an evidence‐based proposal for use of skin creams in the prevention of irritant contact dermatitis in the workplace

Contact dermatitis is one of the most common occupational diseases, with serious impact on quality of life, lost days at work and a condition that may be chronically relapsing. Regular prophylactic skin cream application is widely acknowledged to be an effective prevention strategy against occupational contact dermatitis; however, compliance rates remain low. To present a simple programme for skin cream application in the workplace with focus on implementation to drive down the rate of occupational irritant contact dermatitis, an expert panel of eight international dermatologists combined personal experience with extensive literature review. The recommendations are based on clinical experience as supported by evidence‐based data from interventional studies. The authors identified three moments for skin cream application in the work place: (i) before starting a work period; (ii) after washing hands; and (iii) after work. Affecting behaviour change requires systematic communications, monitoring and reporting, which is proposed through Kotter's principles of organizational change management. Measurement tools are provided in the appendix. Interventional data based on application of this proposal is required to demonstrate its effectiveness.     

Regional variations in analgesic efficacy of EMLA cream. Quantitatively evaluated by argon laser stimulation

The effect of EMLA cream (a eutectic mixture of local analgesics) applied for 30, 60, 90 and 120 min on the forehead, cheek, back, cubital fossa, and dorsum of the hand was studied. Analgesic onset, efficacy and duration were evaluated by sensory and pain thresholds to laser stimulation measured before, and 5, 60, 120, and 180 min after the cream was removed from the skin. Cutaneous blood flow was measured and found to be 4-5 times as high on the face as on the other locations. On the forehead the analgesic efficacy decreased with increased application time. For all other locations, efficacy increased with increasing application time. On the back, onset was rapid and sufficient analgesia could be obtained, but analgesias began to wane immediately after removal of the cream. In the cubital fossa and on the hand, onset was tardy, and efficacy continued to increase for 60 min after cream removal, followed by a slow decline. Blood flow, epidermal and dermal thickness are important factors affecting onset, efficacy and duration of EMLA analgesia.