Immunologic abnormalities associated with primary anetoderma.
METHODS
Primary anetoderma is a rare cutaneous elastolytic disorder, the etiopathogenesis of which has not yet been established. Six patients with primary anetoderma were studied in an attempt to assess the role of the immunologic system in the elastolytic process. The investigation included the medical history, physical examination, routine blood tests, specific tests for collagen diseases, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thyroxine, indirect immunofluorescence test, and skin biopsies for histopathologic study and direct immunofluorescence.


RESULTS
Two of the patients presented with autoimmune disorders: the first had Graves' disease, lupus anticoagulant, and autoimmune hemolysis, and the second had systemic scleroderma. There were positive direct immunofluorescence findings in most of the patients. Furthermore, all of them were found to have serologic immunologic abnormalities, of which the most common was a positive antinuclear factor.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that there is an immunologic involvement in primary anetoderma.
Hodak
E
E
Department of Dermatology, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Shamai-Lubovitz
O
O
David
M
M
Hazaz
B
B
Katzenelson-Weissman
V
V
Lahav
M
M
Sandbank
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000373:Agglutinins / Q000032:analysis; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001284:Atrophy; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000150:complications; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology
D000373:Agglutinins; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor; C029443:cold agglutinins