No abstract

These guidelines have been prepared for dermatologists on behalf of the British Association of Dermatologists. They present evidence-based guidance for treatment, with identification of the strength of evidence available at the time of preparation of the guidelines and a brief overview of epidemiological aspects, diagnosis and investigation. The guidelines reflect data available from Medline, Embase, the Cochrane library, literature searches and the experience of the authors of managing patients with bullous pemphigoid in special and general clinics for over 10 years. However, caution should be exercised in interpreting the data obtained from the literature because only six randomized controlled trials are available involving small groups of patients.

We report clinical and histological features of 16 consecutive patients with hypertensive leg ulcers. The lumen/wall ratio in arterioles at the edges of these hypertensive leg ulcers was compared with that in other types of chronic leg ulcers and was found to be significantly reduced (P < 0.001). Additional conditions such as venous hypertension or main vessel arterial disease contributed. Nineteen of 22 ulcers were completely healed after a mean of 4.9 months. Recognition of this condition enables correct treatment choice, which usually involves excision and grafting, and early healing.

A case of acrokeratoelastoidosis (AKE) is reported. A review of the literature has established that at least three clinicopathological entities have been reported under this term. Two of the entities show a combination of hyperkeratosis with fragmentation of dermal elastic tissue, which justifies the designation AKE. The first, for which the term familial AKE is perhaps appropriate, though many cases have been sporadic, begins in childhood or early adult life, and there is no evidence that trauma or light exposure are factors in its production. The second is a more variable clinical syndrome occurring in middle or late adult life, and both physical trauma and light exposure appear to be concerned in its induction. The third syndrome to be reported under the designation AKE shows no abnormality of elastic tissue and appears to be a separate entity.

Streptococcus milleri was isolated from the active lesions of three patients with perineal hidradenitis suppurativa. In each patient, elimination of this organism by appropriate antibiotic therapy was accompanied by marked clinical improvement.