Self-involuting atrophoderma of the lateral-upper arm. A new benign variant of morphea?
BACKGROUND
Atrophoderma of Pasini-Pierini and morphea are considered to be distinct clinical entities. However, some authors say that they are closely related diseases. We encountered 5 unique cases that did not fit the criteria for both diseases.


OBJECTIVE
We report 5 cases with solitary atrophic lesions on the lateral-upper arm. They appeared as white to erythematous, non-indurated and slightly depressed lesions with a smooth surface, and the patients had no history of trauma or injection.


RESULTS
Histological examinations showed slight to moderate lower dermal fibrosis without specific changes in adipose tissue. The lesions disappeared spontaneously within a year.


CONCLUSIONS
Our cases may be a benign variant form of morphea. We propose the term 'self-involuting atrophoderma of the lateral-upper arm (SALA)' for these clinical features.
Inazumi
T
T
Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
Kawashima
J
J
Tajima
S
S
Nishikawa
T
T
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000473:pathology*; D001284:Atrophy; D002648:Child; D003116:Color; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004890:Erythema / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*