Skin-nontumor / Clinical Dermatology - Pityriasis lichenoides chronica

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Other dermatoses

Pityriasis lichenoides chronica

Reviewer: Mowafak Hamodat, MB.CH.B, MSc., FRCPC, Eastern Health, St. Johns, Canada (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 1 August 2011, last major update August 2011
Copyright: (c) 2002-2011, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

Definition
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● Presents with red-brown papules with wafer-like scale
● Overlaps with pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta
● Shows predeliction for males in late childhood and early adulthood
● Involve the arms, legs, trunk and buttocks; flexors are more commonly affected than the extensors
● Associated with itching and burning sensation
● Some seasonal variation, worsening in winter and some improvement in sunlight

Case reports
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● 19 year old woman (Dermatol Online J 2004;10:8)

Clinical images
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Pityriasis lichenoides chronica

Micro description
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● Similar to PLEVA, but less destructive
● Parakeratosis present in well-demarcated zones; vacuolar interface change and lymphocyte exocytosis less than PLEVA
● Wedge shaped pattern of dermal lymphocytic infiltrate
● The chronic lesion shows parakeratosis with lymphocytes, similar to Munro microabscesses of psoriasis
● Purpura is often present

Positive stains
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● IgM and C3 in the walls of the superficial dermal blood vessels

Additional references
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● eMedicine

End of Skin-nontumor / Clinical Dermatology > Other dermatoses > Pityriasis lichenoides chronica

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