Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus leukoderma treated with melanocyte‐keratinocyte transplantation procedure

Depigmented lesions may occur as postinflammatory sequelae of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE), leading to great psychosocial impact. A 53‐year‐old male patient presented with post‐SCLE depigmented facial lesions after five years of disease stability. We proposed surgical treatment with melanocyte‐keratinocyte transplantation procedure (MKTP), and after five months the patient achieved 90% repigmentation, without Koebner phenomenon (KP). In theory, KP is a possible complication of MKTP procedure since the preparation of the receptor area involves the use of dermabrasion. In an attempt to avoid it, we suggest to maintain the treatment of the underlying disease and wait for a minimum period of disease stability before the procedure.     

Successful treatment of hemorrhagic bullous Henoch‐Schonlein purpura with intravenous immunoglobulins

Henoch‐Schonlein purpura (HSP) is the most common systemic vasculitis in childhood. There is no consensus about the management for isolated cutaneous manifestations in HSP. We describe a case of HSP presenting with severe skin lesions that did not respond to standard therapy with corticosteroids. The 11‐year‐old child was treated with intravenous immunoglobulins, which induced rapid and persistent resolution of symptomatology.     

Increased occurrence of free immunoglobulin light chains in cerebrospinal fluid and serum in human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection

The presence of free immunoglobulin light chains (FLCs) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sera of patients with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection, multiple sclerosis (MS), and neurologically healthy control individuals was investigated by paying special attention to ensure that only truly free light chains would be detected. The FLCs were extracted by specifically binding them to Sepharose-coupled anti-FLC monoclonal antibodies, and thereafter they were electrophoresed and immunoblotted with monoclonal antibodies to both light chain (LC) isotypes. A frequent occurrence of kappa and lambda FLCs was found in both CSF and sera of HIV-1 infected patients. In HIV-1 infection and in MS, the frequency of FLCs of the CSF was equal. In healthy controls, only occasional weak FLCs were observed in either CSF or serum. FLC bands of the CSF from patients with HIV-1 infection tended to be more intensive than those of the appropriately diluted sera. Both intrathecal synthesis of FLCs and their transudation from sera through the impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) may contribute to this. Increasing severity of general HIV-1 infection was accompanied by an increase of FLC intensity in sera. A qualitative demonstration of FLC in the CSF may be meaningful only in the absence of altered BBB function.