Dermatology for Internists

Susan Riggs Runge, MD

January 2008

Pictures• Pictures of common and less common skin

lesions• Cover each topic very briefly• Realize most of you have vast experience

in seeing many of these lesions in your years of practice

• This is a very superficial review of topics I hope you may find interesting

• All slides and photos are available at:

http://medicine.med.unc.edu/education/dermatology_for_internists.ppt

Lupus Erythematosus

• One of the papulosquamous diseases• Papules and scaly areas• Other papulosquamous diseases include:

psoriasis, tinea, seborrheic dermatitis, pityriasis rosea, syphilis, lichen planus and other more rare skin disorders

• Many of these have differentiating characteristics but lots of overlap clinically makes skin biopsy particularly helpful in many cases

Acute Cutaneous Lupus

Acute Cutaneous Lupus

• Dilated capillary loops along nail fold

• This can also be seen in dermatomyositis and other connective tissue diseases

Acute Cutaneous Lupus• Malar erythema, can involve

neck, forehead and periorbital area in photodistribution

• Erythema and sometimes edema of V of neck, forearms

• Look for ulcers on the hard palate

• ANA positive• 60-80% will have positive

dsDNA• Other tests: CBC, ESR, UA,

skin biopsy• Treatments: Prednisone,

hydroxychloroquine• Referral to rheumatologist

Subacute Cutaneous Lupus

SCLE (subacute cutaneous lupus)

• Annular scaly erythematous patches in sun-exposed areas

• Worse upon sun exposure• Non-scarring• Many patients have

arthralgias expecially of hands and wrists

• Consider drugs as cause: HCTZ, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, terbinafine and TNF-antagonists

Hands in Subacute Cutaneous Lupus

• Erythematous scaly patches between the knuckles (unlike Gottron’s papules of dermatomyositis which are on the knuckles)

Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Labs• Most are ANA positive• Most are Anti-Ro (SS-A)

positive• 1/3 will meet criteria for

systemic lupus• Other lab tests: CBC, ESR,

UA, Rheumatoid factor, complement levels, skin biopsy

• Treatment: Stop suspected drugs, sunscreen, hydroxychloroquine

• Refer to rheumatologist if joint involvement, nephrologist if renal involvement, etc

Subacute Cutaneous Lupus-more subtle

Discoid Lupus

Discoid lupus

• Hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation

• Atrophy of skin• These lesions cause

SCARRING• Skin lesions occur in

photodistributed areas (wider distribution may correlate with greater likelihood of SLE)

• Discoid lesions and follicular prominence in conchae of ears

Ear Lesions in Discoid Lupus

Discoid Lupus Labs

• ANA positive in 5-20%

• Do CBC, ESR, Rheumatoid factor, UA, complement levels, skin biopsy

Discoid Lupus

• These patients rarely progress to SLE (5%)

• Rarely have systemic disease

• Treatment: sunscreen, topical steroids, intralesional steroids, hydroxychloroquine

• Referrals as indicated

Other Papulosquamous Diseases: Psoriasis

Psoriasis

Psoriasis

• Well-demarcated erythematous plaques

• Thick white or silvery scale

• Knees and elbows classically, can be scalp only or diffuse

• Also favors gluteal cleft, navel

Psoriasis

• Not very itchy• Scale is thicker and

whiter than with fungal infection

• Less scaly in moist areas (in body folds) or if partially treated

Psoriasis of scalp

Psoriasis

NOT psoriasis-cutaneous T cell lymphoma

Not psoriasis - CTCL: does not have thick scale

• Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

• Could mimic psoriasis• Atypical locations• Biopsy should

differentiate• Refer skin problems

that are atypical or do not resolve as expected

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

• Localized to area of contact

• Scaly erythematous plaques

• Can be blistering• On eyelids, can be

due to nail polish

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Allergic Contact Dermatitis-fragrance

Allergic Contact Dermatitis-diethylthiourea in scuba diving gear

Allergic Contact-cinnamon

• Cinnamon often used as flavoring agent in gum or toothpaste

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

• Identify and avoid allergen if possible

• Increase moisturization of skin

• Topical steroid as needed

• Rarely oral steroid if severe

Allergic Contact-Poison Oak

• Linear blisters are classic for allergic contact dermatitis due to poison ivy

Allergic Contact Dermatitis-more subtle

Seborrheic Dermatitis

• Erythematous patches on skin

• Thick, yellow greasy scale

• Seborrheic distribution: eyebrows, sides of nose, nasolabial folds, ear canals, chest

• More severe in patients with HIV or Parkinson’s disease

Seborrheic Dermatitis

• Nasolabial fold• Chin area

• Ear canal

Dermatophyte

Tinea

• Superficial fungal infection of skin

Tinea corporis

• Tinea named by location: tinea capitis, tinea corporis, tinea manum, tinea pedis, tinea barbae (beard), tinea cruris (body fold especially groin and pubic area), tinea unguium of nails (onychomycosis)

Tinea faceii• Erythematous

annular plaques• Not as well-

demarcated as psoriasis

• Scaly, itchy• Involved areas

tend to fade centrally

• Treat with topical antifungal if limited area or oral agent if extensive

Tinea Corporis

Tinea Capitis

• Causes itching and scaling of scalp

• More common in children• Hair may break just

beyond follicle• Often more than one

family member affected• Can be severe and cause

hair loss which can be scarring (loss of follicles)

Tinea Capitis

Tinea pedis

Tinea-more subtle

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Nummular Eczema

Severe Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis

• Our Recommendations:• Bathe in tepid water with

mild soap• Moisturize skin frequently

with vaseline or other thick cream

• Topical steroids as needed for control

• Rarely treated with oral immunosuppressive

Benign Growths of the Skin

• There are many: skin tags, cysts, lipomas, dermatofibromas, warts, keloidsand many others

• One of the most common in adults in seborrheic keratosis

Seborrheic Keratosis

Seborrheic Keratoses

Seborrheic Keratosis• Verrucous (warty looking)

tan to black stuck-on appearing growth

• Common on back, chest, abdomen, but may be anywhere

• May be multiple or single• Not necessary to

remove; treat with cryotherapy or electrodessication if symptomatic or as cosmetic procedure

• Treatment can cause a hypopigmented spot or scarring

Moles and Melanoma

Normal Moles (nevi)

Normal Nevi

• Symmetrical• Regular Borders• One color or shades of

brown• Smaller size , less than 6

mm, although can be larger

• Do not grow or change• Develop new nevi up to

age 30’s

Dysplastic nevus

Dysplastic Nevus

Dysplastic Nevus

• Irregular borders

• May have more than one color

• If it meets two or more of the criteria for melanoma, we may remove it

Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome• Multiple dysplastic nevi• Familial (also known as Familial

Atypical Mole and Melanoma Syndrome FAMM)

• Melanoma common in one or more first or second degree relatives

• Histologic criteria• Many cases linked to mutations in

the CDKN2A gene, which codes for p16 (a regulator of cell division)

• Difficult to evaluate visually because have 50 or more moles

• Annual examinations by dermatologist plus frequent self-monitoring for change in moles

• “Mole mapping” (digital imaging at UNC) if prior melanoma or if available

Melanoma

Melanoma

Melanoma

• Most common type is superficial spreading

• Tends to grow wide before it grows deep

• Look for the “ugly duckling” mole-one that is different than the patient’s other moles

Melanoma

• Lentigo maligna melanoma

• Occurs most often on head and neck

• Usually evolves slowly in older patients with significant sun damage

Melanoma

Melanoma• ABCDEs• Asymmetry• Irregular BORDERS• Colors (more than

one)• Diameter (more than

6 mm)• Evolving-very

important

Melanoma-more subtle

Melanoma

Melanoma

Nodular Melanoma

• Grows rapidly (6-8 weeks)

• Deeper• Prognosis related to

depth so worse prognosis than superficial melanoma

Amelanotic Melanoma

• Lacks pigment so may not be recognized as melanoma

Actinic keratoses

Actinic keratoses

• Precancerous • Scaly erythematous

macules in sun-damaged skin

• Persistent scaly areas-patient scratches them off and they recur

• Treated with liquid nitrogen or topical 5-fluorouracil or imiquimod

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma

• Pearly papule with rolled borders

• Has central dell (indentation)-will erode with time and form ulcer

• Telangectasia• Slow growing• Extremely rare to

metastasize but can erode bony structures

• Can be pigmented

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Pigmented Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma-more subtle (morpheaform: looks like a scar)

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• Enlarging scaly, crusty plaques

• Not the thick white scale of psoriasis

• Not symmetrical on the body (unlike psoriasis)

• Squamous cell or basal cell carcinomas may present as a non-healing spot (allow 4 weeks to heal: if it doesn’t , then biopsy)

Outlier Topic

Pyoderma Gangrenosum

Pyoderma Gangrenosum• Not all ulcers are infectious• Diagnosis of exclusion: rule

out infection and tumor• Starts as a small red papule,

then spreads into ulcer• Occurs in healthy-looking

people (abdomen and legs), can occur anywhere including in the mouth

• Tendency to occur in patients with inflammatory bowel disease but idiopathic in 50%

• Spreads to surrounding tissues if debrided or excised

• Responds to topical or oral steroids

Referrals to Dermatology• Any new growth that you are suspicious about

• Refer blistering processes early

• A rash (an eruption) in a body fold might be fungus or yeast, so an antifungal cream might be worth a trial

• Consider a trial of over the counter cortisone or topical triamcinolone for body lesions that you believe may be a transient dermatitis or eczema (we prefer ointments over creams)

• Refer when a skin lesion is growing or does not resolve with usual treatment

• Refer suspected melanoma promptly