title: Atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini: a clinical and histopathological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Idiopathic atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini (IAPP) usually manifests as one or multiple depressed and hyperpigmented patches, with a predilection to the trunk. No diagnostic changes are usually seen on histology. Elastic stains often reveal no abnormalities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review our cases of IAPP, describe their clinical and histological findings and compare them with the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of IAPP cases who presented to our institution between 1994 and 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a total of 16 patients, only 19% displayed hyperpigmented lesions, while 81% had either hypopigmented (9/16) or skin-colored (4/16) lesions. The sites predominantly affected were the lower extremities (62.5%), followed by the upper extremities and trunk. Only in one patient was IAPP co-existent with morphea. Histology revealed no diagnostic abnormalities; however, elastic stains showed a spectrum of changes ranging from normal to severe diminution and fragmentation of elastic fiber network.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows several new aspects of IAPP. Clinically, the lesions were most commonly hypopigmented and involved predominantly the extremities. Histologically, IAPP exhibited a spectrum of alterations in elastic fibers. The most prevalent form of IAPP in our country seems to be unassociated with morphea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Zenus
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: Ossama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: Maurice J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dahdah
authors.forename: Abdul G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kibbi
authors.forename: Shukrallah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaynoun
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017496:Hypopigmentation / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000473:pathology*