Prurigo pigmentosa

Abstract

Prurigo pigmentosa is a relatively new clinical entity, and we believe that a more widespread knowledge of this disease will lessen its misdiagnosis. We find it noteworthy to point out that there may be a predisposition to prurigo pigmentosa amongst the Turkish and Sicilian populations.

Disorders of pigmentation

“…657 This stage resolves within days, leaving a mottled or reticulate hyperpigmentation. [664][665][666][667] Ketosis has also been implicated. The average age of onset is between 23 and 27 years.…”

Prurigo Pigmentosa Successfully Treated with Low-Dose Isotretinoin

“…Although the majority of patients are of Japanese origin, there is an increasing number of non-Japanese cases, most of which are reported from Mediterranean countries such as Turkey (24 cases) [2,3,4,5,6,7,8], Sicily (5 cases) [9], Italy (2 cases) [10], and Spain (2 cases) [11, 12]. This suggests that the dermatosis has an ethnic predisposition probably due to environmental and genetic factors.…”

“…Dapsone, other sulfonamides, minocycline, macrolide antibiotics such as clarithromycin and roxythromycin have also been used and are reported to improve PP lesions only up to a certain level [2, 17, 18]. A case of vesiculous PP treated with isotretinoin 40 mg/day was recently reported by Requena Cabellero et al [12].…”

Antinuclear Antibodies in Patients with Prurigo Pigmentosa: A Linkage or a Coincidence?

“…Clinically, it shows recurrent pruritic erythematous macules, papules and papulovesicles that resolve leaving brown reticulated or net-like hyperpigmentation [2,3] . Histopathologic findings of PP are nonspecific but known to be typified by different findings at each stage -early, fully developed and late [4] .…”

“…The etiology of PP remains to be elucidated. There are reported associations with PP, such as physical trauma, friction, pregnancy, contact allergy, photosensitivity, diabetes mellitus, ketosis and weight loss, but none of them have been proved to be consistently related etiologies [2,3] . Here, we present 3 cases of PP showing elevated antinuclear antibody (ANA) levels.…”