The cutaneous pathology of atopic dermatitis.
Sixteen skin biopsy specimens from early eruptive, evolving papules and well-developed plaques were obtained from eight patients with established atopic dermatitis. We found that the chronological and histopathological sequence begins with a perivascular interstitial spongiotic dermatitis, evolves into a psoriasiform microvesicular spongiotic dermatitis, which is sometimes focally lichenoid, and eventually concludes as a psoriasiform dermatitis. Thus, atopic dermatitis has characteristic and diagnostic histopathologic findings. These are portrayed and contrasted to what has been previously reported.
Hurwitz
R M
RM
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center, Indianapolis, Indiana 46260.
DeTrana
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology