Annular lichenoid dermatitis of youth in a 15-year-old boy: Topical tacrolimus as a treatment option

Annular Lichenoid Dermatitis (of Youth)

“…The disease affects slightly more males than females (1.6:1). Although patients are mostly from the Mediterranean area, cases from central Europe, the United States [ 10 , 11 ], Japan [ 8 ], India [ 14 ] and Korea have also been reported [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 12 ].…”

“…ALDY patients were typically in good general health, without a remarkable medical history, except for a few patients who had atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis and celiac disease [ 1 , 6 ]. No association with drugs, tick bites, autoimmune disease or neoplasm has been found, and no seasonal clustering of the disease has been reported [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Laboratory studies, including complete blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, general chemistry panel, stool examination for ova and parasites, rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody test, have been negative or within normal limits.…”

“…The anti-streptolysin titer was elevated in three cases [ 1 ]. ALDY was not typically associated with signs of infection, and in fact, serum antibodies against cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, parvovirus B19, Coxsackie/Echovirus and respiratory syncytial virus were negative or within normal limits in all patients [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”

“…The lesions, however, may recur after treatment discontinuation. In some cases, disease remission has also been obtained with topical tacrolimus [ 6 , 12 , 14 ] and pimecrolimus [ 15 , 18 ] ointment. Other treatments used include systemic cyclosporin [ 20 ], systemic corticosteroids, heliotherapy, phototherapy (UV-A), photochemotherapy (psoralen-UV-A) and systemic (doxycycline, macrolides and cephalosporins) and topical antibiotics (mupirocin and gentamicin) ( Table 1 ).…”

“…On the basis of these clinical, histological and epidemiological features, they proposed naming the disease Annular Lichenoid Dermatitis of Youth (ALDY) [ 1 ]. Since the original description, many other cases have been described worldwide, and ALDY is now considered to be a new clinicopathological entity that is mostly distinguished from annular erythemas, morphea and mycosis fungoides [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”