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Showing posts with label Dermatitis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dermatitis. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

IMPETIGO CONTAGIOSO / BRASA O INFECCION BACTERIANA EN NIÑOS



Impétigo

Introducción

El impétigo es una infección de la piel. Generalmente, es causada por la bacteria estafilococo pero algunas veces el estreptococo también puede causarla. Es más común en los niños entre dos y seis años. Suele comenzar cuando las bacterias entran por una grieta de la piel, como una cortadura, rasguño o picadura de un insecto.
Los primeros síntomas son pequeñas llagas rojizas o similares a una espinilla rodeadas por piel enrojecida. Estas llagas suelen presentarse en la cara, los brazos y las piernas, aunque pueden encontrarse en otros lugares. Las llagas se llenan de pus, al cabo de algunos días se abren y forman una costra gruesa. Con frecuencia pican, pero rascarse puede diseminar las llagas.
El impétigo puede contagiarse por contacto con las lesiones o la secreción nasal de una persona infectada. Puede tratarse con antibióticos.
NIH: Instituto Nacional de Alergias y Enfermedades Infecciosas

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Institutos Nacionales de la Salud

Monday, November 23, 2015

WHEAT GENOME PUZZLE / SECOND STAPLE IN FOOD ALLERGY, WORLDWIDE

Wheat Allergy as treated by Carlos E Mijares MD, former fellow in Allergy / Immunology, pediatrics  at University of Kansas, USA.
Currently, practicing at www.centromedicodecaracas.com,ve
carlosmixares@gmail.com

Elimination Diet Sheet : Wheat, Oats, Rice, Barley, Rye. All breads and baked goods, flour, cake,crackers, doughnuts, cookies, waffles, pancakes, pretzels, icecream cones, pie crust, macaroons, rolls, buns, cereals, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, gravy.

Common Food Relationships:
Family or Class     Important Members      Usual Manifestations                Cross reactivity

Buckwheat            Buckwheat, rhubarb      Rare offenders;                          Probably strong
                                                                    buckwheat useful
                                                                    in wheat-sensitive
                                                                    children




Insights and opinion from BioMed Central on the latest biology research and developments in the field. About this blog »



Durum roll please: updated genome a huge milestone for designing high-yield sustainable wheat

The updated wheat genome sequence, released today, is a new step toward generating improved wheat varieties. Here, Genome Biology's Dominique Morneau outlines the challenges and opportunities that accompany the sequencing of the wheat genome.
Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is the second most highly produced cereal worldwide, grown on more than 215 million hectares, and the leading source of vegetable protein in human food. It was first domesticated in western Asia around 11,700 years ago, after which it spread to North Africa, Europe, and East Asia. Scientists are currently trying to figure out how to feed a growing population; in the next 50 years, we will need to grow more wheat than has been produced since the dawn of agriculture.
The key to improving wheat lies in identifying genes that can be exploited to meet the increased demand for high quality food. Unfortunately, sequencing the wheat genome is proving to be quite difficult.

The complexity of the wheat genome

Bread wheat is an allohexaploid, meaning that it has six sets of seven chromosomes derived from three different progenitor species (Triticum uratru, Aegilops speltoides, and Aegilops tauschii). The wheat genome is divided into three subgenomes: A, B, and D, each of which is almost twice as large as the human genome.
The wheat genome itself isn’t any harder to sequence than smaller genomes. What researchers have been struggling with is putting all the letters together in the right order. The wheat genome contains 17 gigabases (compared to the 3 gigabase human genome), and 80% of it is repetitive sequences. Using whole-genome shotgun sequencing methods thus becomes unattractive, since they generate reads of 500-1000 bases.
To understand why this problem is so complex, imagine a jigsaw puzzle with 17 million small pieces, 80% of which are very similar to each other. An international consortium of 1,100 researchers from 55 countries has been working on sequencing and assembling the wheat genome for the last 10 years!

The wheat genome – spelt out here

The wheat genome is currently being sequenced chromosome by chromosome. In July 2014, a draft of the full genome was published in the journal Science along with a reference sequence for chromosome 3B. Because of the complexity of the genome, the draft genome has lower accuracy, with segments either missing or in the wrong order or orientation.
Since then, work has focused on producing reference-quality assemblies for the remaining chromosomes – filling in the gaps with high accuracy and removing ambiguity in the order of segments – and mapping specific genes and genomic features. Other researchers have used the draft genome to study the evolution of wheat and other cereals, and to find variability in loci encoding agronomically important traits.
Today, The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) in Norwich, UK, has made a more complete and accurate wheat genome assembly available to the research community. The updated genome is now assembled into fewer, larger sections of DNA covering regions that were previously not sequenced. These regions include many of the large and complex groups of genes in wheat that contribute to the nutritional and bread-making quality of the grain.
wheat 2
Photo: The Genome Analysis Centre

Flour power

Here at Genome Biology, we’re big fans of wheat genomics, and have put together a collection of articles that we’ve published in the last year. Highlights include a more in-depth understanding of the structure, evolution, and expression of genes from chromosome 3B, a new method for assembling the wheat genome, finding sequence variations across the genome, and identifying genes that produce important traits that we may want to exploit, like grain dormancy.
But there’s more to wheat genomics than meets the eye. Growing wheat also means dealing with a slew of pathogens that affect yield. As interest in wheat genomics grows, so too does work in pathogenomics to prevent productivity losses, like those caused by the wheat yellow rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici).

Never miss a triticum

The updated wheat genome is another step toward a chromosome-based complete genome in this important crop species. With this information, plant breeders will have high quality tools at their disposal to identify specific genes affecting agronomically important traits, such as yield, grain size and weight, nutritional quality, and stress tolerance. This will enable farmers and breeders to produce new wheat varieties better adapted to increasing demand in a changing climate.


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Monday, November 9, 2015

BRUISES / HEMATOMA / MORETONES / ALERGIAS / DERMATOLOGIA / TUMOR



Bruises

Also called: Contusion, Ecchymoses 
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Summary

A bruise is a mark on your skin caused by blood trapped under the surface. It happens when an injury crushes small blood vessels but does not break the skin. Those vessels break open and leak blood under the skin.
Bruises are often painful and swollen. You can get skin, muscle and bone bruises. Bone bruises are the most serious.
It can take months for a bruise to fade, but most last about two weeks. They start off a reddish color, and then turn bluish-purple and greenish-yellow before returning to normal. To reduce bruising, ice the injured area and elevate it above your heart. See your healthcare provider if you seem to bruise for no reason, or if the bruise appears to be infected.

Start Here

  • Bruises (American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Bruises (Nemours Foundation)

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Page last updated on 10 February 2015 Topic last reviewed: 10 February 2015

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

PITYRIASIS ROSEA / CHRISTMAS TREE- VIRAL SKIN DISEASE

www.centromedicodecaracas.com.ve
www.infoguia.com
www.paginasamarillascantv.com.ve
www.alergiascaracasmarketing.blogspot.com
@carlosmixares
www.facebook.com/Alergologos.Asma y Alergias
google+CarlosMijares

Carlos E Mijares,MD. Former Fellow in Allergy & Immunology, pediatrics. University of Kansas. USA.
Comment: Differential Diagnosis: Seborrheic Dermatitis, Pityriasis Versicolor, Lichen Dermatosis.

Mancha como chocolate o sello de corcho rojo, prurito intenso y malestar general, con faringitis y estress, simulando urticaria...Puede ser asintomática. El paciente muchas veces no lo puede creer y en emergencias han  inyectado esteroides y antihistaminicos, que ayudan pero confunden. Es una virosis, benigna, limitada.

carlosmixares@gamil.com









Pityriasis rosea
Disclosures: Adam O Goldstein, MD, MPH Nothing to disclose. Beth G Goldstein, MD Nothing to disclose. Robert P Dellavalle, MD, PhD, MSPH Nothing to disclose. Moise L Levy, MD Grant/Research/Clinical Trial Support: Anacor [atopic dermatitis (investigational drug)]; Stiefel/GlaxoSmithKline [psoriasis (calcipotriene foam)]. Consultant/Advisory Boards: Galderma [acne (adapalene/benzoyl peroxide)]; Anacor [atopic dermatitis (investigational drug)]; Promius [atopic dermatitis (investigational drug)]. Patent Holder: Incontinentia pigmenti (NEMO gene mutations). Abena O Ofori, MD Nothing to disclose.
Contributor disclosures are reviewed for conflicts of interest by the editorial group. When found, these are addressed by vetting through a multi-level review process, and through requirements for references to be provided to support the content. Appropriately referenced content is required of all authors and must conform to UpToDate standards of evidence.
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete.
Literature review current through: Sep 2015. | This topic last updated: Aug 06, 2015.
INTRODUCTION — Pityriasis rosea (PR) is an acute, self-limited, exanthematous skin disease characterized by the appearance of slightly inflammatory, oval, papulosquamous lesions on the trunk and proximal areas of the extremities (picture 1A-E). The diagnosis and management of this disorder are reviewed here.
ETIOLOGY — A viral etiology for pityriasis rosea (PR) has been hypothesized based upon the following observations:
PR is sometimes preceded by a prodrome.
It occasionally occurs in small case clusters.
It has not been shown to be associated with bacterial or fungal organisms.
This supposition is reinforced by the finding of viral-like particles in PR biopsy specimens examined with the electron microscope [1]. A significant literature supports the hypothesis that PR is a manifestation of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) reactivation [2,3]. However, others have failed to detect HHV-7 DNA sequences and antigens in a significant number of PR cases, arguing against a causative role for this agent [4]. Some studies have also implicated HHV-6 in the pathogenesis of PR [3,5,6]. Possible associations with HHV-8 and 2009-2010 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus have also been reported [7-9].
More study is needed before this issue can be definitively resolved.
CLINICAL FEATURES — PR is largely a disease of older children and young adults. It is slightly more common in women than men. A prodrome of headache, malaise, and pharyngitis may occur in a small number of cases, but except for itching, the condition is usually asymptomatic.
In 50 to 90 percent of cases, the eruption begins with a "herald" or "mother" patch, a single round or oval, sharply delimited, pink or salmon-colored lesion on the chest, neck, or back (picture 1C, 1F) [10]. The herald patch is usually 2 to 5 cm in diameter. The lesion soon becomes scaly and begins to clear centrally, leaving the free edge of the cigarette paper-like scale directed inwards toward the center. This clinical finding is often described as a "collarette" of scale.
A few days or one to two weeks later, oval lesions similar in appearance to the herald patch, but smaller, appear in crops on the trunk and proximal areas of the extremities (picture 1A-E, 1G). The long axes of these oval lesions tend to be oriented along the lines of cleavage of the skin. This characteristic arrangement is most evident on the back, where it is emphasized by the oblique direction of the cleavage lines in that location. This morphologic pattern has been referred to as a "fir tree" or "Christmas tree" distribution.
The eruption spreads centrifugally or from the top down over the course of a few days. Erythema gradually subsides, desquamation is completed, and the eruption fades, leaving few residual changes, except postinflammatory dyspigmentation. In most cases the papules and plaques resolve in four to six weeks; occasionally the disease will persist for several months. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is a common sequela in dark-skinned individuals and often takes several months or longer to resolve.
In children, the distribution of the lesions is often atypical, involving the scalp and face; it may be completely "inverse," affecting the face and distal extremities, while sparing the trunk, or may be concentrated in the pubic, inguinal, and axillary regions (picture 1G-J) [11]. The lesions themselves also are sometimes atypical in children; they may be folliculo-papular, vesicular, pustular, urticarial, or purpuric. PR generally has only mild effects on quality of life in children [12].
DIAGNOSIS — The presence of a herald patch by history or on examination, the characteristic morphology and distribution of the lesions, and the absence of symptoms other than pruritus combine to make PR an easy diagnosis in most instances. However, the herald patch can resemble tinea corporis so closely that potassium hydroxide (KOH) examination of scales for dermatophyte hyphae may be necessary to distinguish these conditions. (See "Dermatologic procedures", section on 'Potassium hydroxide (KOH) prep'.)
There are typically no laboratory abnormalities with PR. Skin biopsy is rarely necessary, but when performed shows focal parakeratosis with or without acanthosis, spongiosis, a perivascular infiltrate of lymphocytes and histiocytes, and occasionally extravasation of red cells (picture 2). The biopsy picture is characteristic, but not pathognomonic. A 3 mm or 4 mm punch biopsy typically provides an adequate specimen for analysis. (See "Skin biopsy techniques", section on 'Punch biopsy'.)
In doubtful cases, signs, symptoms, and laboratory abnormalities relevant to the conditions listed in the differential diagnosis list will assist in proper identification.
Differential diagnosis — The possibility of other disorders should be considered in patients who present with lesions that are suspicious for PR [13]. When the diagnosis is in question, a skin biopsy can be performed. A potassium hydroxide preparation is useful for ruling out fungal infections. (See "Skin biopsy techniques", section on 'Punch biopsy' and "Dermatologic procedures", section on 'Potassium hydroxide (KOH) prep'.)
Secondary syphilis – The papulosquamous eruption of secondary syphilis can closely resemble PR; however, unlike the latter, secondary syphilis often presents with red-brown macules on the palms and soles (picture 3). Patients with secondary syphilis also may recall the appearance of a chancre and will lack a history of a herald patch. In patients in whom secondary syphilis is suspected, appropriate serologic testing should be performed. (See "Pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment of early syphilis", section on 'Secondary syphilis' and "Diagnostic testing for syphilis".)
Guttate psoriasis – Guttate psoriasis is a variant of psoriasis that most frequently affects children and young adults. Small, erythematous, scaly plaques are distributed primarily on the trunk (picture 4). The scale tends to be coarser than the scale associated with PR, and a herald patch does not precede the eruption. Guttate psoriasis frequently is associated with a preceding streptococcal infection. (See "Guttate psoriasis".)
Tinea corporis – The herald patch of PR may be mistaken for tinea corporis, which may also present with an annular plaque with peripheral scale (picture 5). A KOH preparation from a lesion of tinea corporis will reveal fungal hyphae. (See "Dermatophyte (tinea) infections", section on 'Tinea corporis'.)
Tinea versicolor – Tinea versicolor presents with hypopigmented or hyperpigmented macules that are most commonly located on the neck and trunk (picture 6A-B). Unlike in PR, erythema is absent or minimal. The scale in tinea versicolor is fine, and lesions lack the peripheral rim of scale that is often seen in PR. A KOH preparation easily confirms a diagnosis of tinea versicolor. (See "Tinea versicolor (Pityriasis versicolor)".)
Nummular eczema – Nummular eczema presents with intensely pruritic, coin-shaped plaques that may range in size from 2 to 10 cm (picture 7A-B). Involvement of the extremities is more common in nummular eczema than in PR. Serous exudate may be visible in acute lesions of nummular eczema. (See "Overview of dermatitis", section on 'Nummular dermatitis'.)
Pityriasis lichenoides chronica – Pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC) is an uncommon condition that is characterized by recurrent crops of erythematous to brown scaly papules on the trunk and proximal extremities. Lesions may be asymptomatic or pruritic, and spontaneously regress over the course of weeks to months. PLC most commonly occurs in children and young adults. The disorder may persist for years. (See "Pityriasis lichenoides chronica".)
Other disorders that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of PR include Lyme disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion illness, and drug eruptions. Testing for HIV should be performed in patients with risk factors for or symptoms suggestive of HIV infection. (See "Acute and early HIV infection: Pathogenesis and epidemiology" and "Screening and diagnostic testing for HIV infection".)
Therapeutic gold injections also can cause eruptions that mimic PR closely; these eruptions do not represent allergic reactions, but are dose-related and can be managed safely by reduction in dose size and the frequency of administration [14]. Other medications and procedures suspected of producing PR-like reactions are omeprazole [15], terbinafine [16], bone marrow transplantation [17], interferon alpha 2A [18], naproxen [19], captopril [20], isotretinoin [21], and bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy [22].
TREATMENT
General approach — Education, reassurance, and interventions for pruritus are sufficient for the management of most patients with PR.
Patient/parent education — Patients with PR and parents of children with PR typically want information about clinical course, infectivity, and relapse. We reassure patients and parents that PR typically spontaneously resolves within two to three months, is thought to have a low likelihood for transmission, and does not recur in most patients. (See 'Prognosis' below.)
Pruritus — Clinical experience has shown that topical corticosteroids in the medium potency range (group 4 or group 5) are helpful in the control of itching (table 1). They can be applied to the pruritic areas two or three times daily for two to three weeks. Long-term use of topical corticosteroids without medical supervision should be avoided because of risk for corticosteroid-induced skin atrophy. (See "General principles of dermatologic therapy and topical corticosteroid use", section on 'Side effects'.)
Topical antipruritic lotions that contain pramoxine or menthol and oral antihistamines may also be helpful for reducing symptoms of pruritus [13].
Severe cases — Although the vast majority of patients with PR require no treatment or only treatment to control pruritus, there is some evidence that oral acyclovir and ultraviolet light may accelerate clinical improvement. Routine treatment with these interventions is not recommended because efficacy data are limited and PR typically resolves without treatment. We reserve trials of acyclovir or ultraviolet light therapy for patients with severe symptoms associated with a significant negative effect on quality of life.
Acyclovir — The proposed link between PR and human herpesvirus led to trials of antiviral therapy in patients with this disorder. (See 'Etiology' above.)
Efficacy – The results of a few small trials suggest that oral acyclovir therapy (400 to 800 mg five times per day for one week) may accelerate resolution of the clinical manifestations of PR. Larger, high-quality trials would be useful for confirming these findings.
In a randomized trial without a placebo-control arm in which the evaluators were unaware of treatment assignment, 64 patients with PR (ages 10 to 60 years) received either acyclovir 400 mg five times per day for one week or no treatment [23]. Treatment with acyclovir significantly accelerated improvement in erythema; after two weeks, the percentage of patients with a reduction in erythema was 79 percent in the acyclovir group versus 27 percent in the group that was not treated. By the fourth week, a reduction in erythema was seen in 93 versus 61 percent of patients, respectively. Scale also resolved more quickly in the acyclovir group, but the difference between the groups was no longer statistically significant at the four-week time-point.
In a randomized trial in which 38 patients with PR were treated with a seven-day course of high-dose oral acyclovir (800 mg given five times per day for adults, 20 mg/kg given four times per day for children) and 35 patients with PR were given vitamin C tablets as placebo, rapid reductions in erythema were significantly more frequent in the acyclovir group compared with the placebo group [24]. By day 7, 53 percent of the 30 acyclovir-treated patients who returned for reevaluation compared with only 10 percent of the 30 vitamin C recipients who returned showed decreased or absent erythema in all skin lesions. After 14 days, this endpoint occurred in 87 and 33 percent of patients in the acyclovir and vitamin C groups, respectively.
In a nonrandomized single-blind trial of 87 adults with PR, high-dose acyclovir (800 mg five times daily for one week) was beneficial [25]. Patients treated with acyclovir had more rapid resolution of lesions (mean time to clearance 19 versus 38 days) and fewer new lesions after one week of therapy.
An unblinded randomized trial performed with 42 children and adults with PR found that a one-week course of acyclovir (800 mg five times per day for adults and 20 mg/kg per day given in five divided doses for children) was more effective than a one-week course of erythromycin (500 mg four times daily in adults and 40 mg/kg per day in four divided doses for children) for reducing the severity and duration of PR [26].
The rationale for efficacy for acyclovir therapy remains unclear. In vitro studies demonstrating that acyclovir has poor antiviral activity against HHV-6 and HHV-7 raise questions about the etiology of PR and the reasons for the efficacy of acyclovir [27,28].
Administration – Doses for adults with PR range from 400 to 800 mg of acyclovir given five times per day for one week. Improvement is expected within one to two weeks.
Acyclovir therapy is generally well tolerated. Acute renal failure is a potential severe adverse effect. Adverse effects of acyclovir are reviewed separately. (See "Acyclovir: An overview", section on 'Toxicity'.)
Phototherapy — Phototherapy has an extensive history of use for a variety of papulosquamous and inflammatory disorders of the skin as well as for pruritus. Although clinical experience suggests that ultraviolet (UV) light from natural sunlight or phototherapy devices may have benefit in PR, data on efficacy are limited. No randomized trials have been performed, leaving uncertainty about the impact of this therapy. (See "UVB therapy (broadband and narrowband)".)
Efficacy – Three split-body studies in which one-half of the body was treated with broadband UVB suggest beneficial effects of phototherapy [29-31]. As an example, a study of 101 children and adults with PR found statistically significant reductions in PR severity scores on the side of the body treated with broadband UVB four times per week, but not on the side treated with a very low dose of UVA as a control [31]. Patients received a mean of five treatments. In addition, in a study in which broadband UVB was used to treat one-half of the body for 10 treatments over two weeks in 17 patients with extensive PR, and a very low dose of UVA was given contralaterally as a control, UVB significantly decreased disease severity during the treatment period. However, the difference in effect was no longer present two weeks after the completion of treatment [29]. UVB had no effect on pruritus in this study. In contrast, a split-body study of 20 patients with PR found that broadband UVB therapy decreased the extent of disease and pruritus [30].
Narrowband UVB devices, which emit UVB in the range of 311 to 313 nm rather than the 290 nm to 320 nm range emitted by broadband UVB devices, are now commonly used for the treatment of skin diseases previously treated with broadband UVB. Narrowband UVB has not been specifically studied for PR, but is presumed to have at least similar efficacy. Worsening of PR following narrowband UVB phototherapy has been reported in one patient [32]; however, it is unclear whether the exacerbation of disease was secondary to phototherapy or the natural course of the disease [33]. (See "UVB therapy (broadband and narrowband)".)
UVA1 phototherapy also may have some benefit for the treatment of PR, although it has much more limited availability. In an uncontrolled study of patients with extensive PR, UVA1 was associated with improvements in disease severity, and 12 out of 15 patients noted improvement in pruritus (mean number of treatments = 6.5 ± 1.8) [34]. (See "UVA1 phototherapy".)
In clinical practice, exposure to outdoor sunlight is sometimes suggested to patients with PR. However, data on the efficacy of this mode of exposure to ultraviolet light are lacking.
Administration – The best regimen for phototherapy is unclear. When treating PR with phototherapy, we most frequently treat with broadband or narrowband UVB two to three times per week. Improvement is expected within the first two to three weeks of treatment. Additional studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy of phototherapy for PR and to determine the optimal regimen for phototherapy.
Short-term side effects of phototherapy include erythema, pruritus, dry skin, and blistering. Side effects of phototherapy are reviewed in detail separately. (See "UVB therapy (broadband and narrowband)", section on 'Short- and long-term adverse effects' and "UVA1 phototherapy", section on 'Adverse effects'.)
Other therapy
Macrolide antibiotics — The efficacy of oral erythromycin for PR is uncertain based upon conflicting efficacy data for erythromycin and the failure of randomized trials of other macrolides to find benefit in PR. Given the uncertain benefit of erythromycin and the common gastrointestinal side effects associated with the drug, we do not use erythromycin for the treatment of PR.
Controlled trials evaluating erythromycin therapy include:
A blinded, controlled trial that alternately assigned 90 patients to treatment or placebo found that erythromycin (250 mg four times daily for 14 days) was effective in reducing both the duration and the severity of the disease [35]. In this report, a complete response at six weeks of follow-up was noted in 73 percent of patients in the treatment group compared with none in the placebo group.
A systematic review identified a small (n = 40) unpublished randomized trial of erythromycin (250 mg every six hours for fourteen days), which the authors of the systematic review felt to be a good quality trial [36]. Among the 34 evaluable patients, a higher percentage of those treated with erythromycin achieved complete cure of rash at two weeks (77 versus 6 percent). Patients treated with erythromycin also had greater improvements in itching.
In contrast to the above results, a trial of 184 patients with PR published after the above systematic review found no benefit with two weeks of oral erythromycin (200 mg four times daily in adults; 20 to 40 mg/kg daily in four divided doses in children) started within seven days of the appearance of secondary lesions of PR [37]. The trial was not randomized, evaluators were not blinded, and the placebo was an emollient cream rather than a pill. No patient in either arm of the trial achieved complete clearance of lesions at two weeks, and there were also no differences in complete clearance between the arms at weeks 4, 6, or 8. Despite the methodologic issues with this trial, it is difficult to reconcile these results with the beneficial outcomes discussed above. The authors argue that earlier trials did not adequately identify a group of patients with a clear diagnosis of early PR.
Also in contrast to the trials that support efficacy of erythromycin, trials of azithromycin and clarithromycin for PR have yielded unfavorable results. For example, a blinded randomized trial in 49 children with PR found no statistically significant benefit to five days of treatment with azithromycin (12 mg/kg per day, up to 500 mg per day) [38]. At four weeks, there were similar percentages of complete (60 versus 42 percent) and partial (28 versus 29 percent) responses with azithromycin and placebo. A randomized trial in 70 children and adults with PR also failed to find superiority of a five-day course of azithromycin (12 mg/kg per day) over a multivitamin placebo [39]. Similarly, clarithromycin was ineffective in a randomized trial in which 60 children and adults with PR were given one-week courses of clarithromycin (200 or 250 mg twice daily) or placebo pills [40].
PROGNOSIS — Patients should be advised that the rash may persist for two to three months; no follow-up is necessary as long as it resolves within this time. New lesions may occur during this period but should disappear spontaneously. Relapse after resolution is uncommon [3].
PREGNANCY — An analysis of a case series of 61 women who developed PR during pregnancy suggests that PR increases the risk for spontaneous abortion [41]. Spontaneous abortions occurred in 8 of 61 women (13 percent) who developed PR during pregnancy and 8 of 14 women (57 percent) who developed PR within the first 15 weeks of gestation. Further studies are necessary to clarify the impact of PR on pregnancy.
INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS — UpToDate offers two types of patient education materials, "The Basics" and "Beyond the Basics." The Basics patient education pieces are written in plain language, at the 5th to 6th grade reading level, and they answer the four or five key questions a patient might have about a given condition. These articles are best for patients who want a general overview and who prefer short, easy-to-read materials. Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed. These articles are written at the 10th to 12th grade reading level and are best for patients who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical jargon.
Here are the patient education articles that are relevant to this topic. We encourage you to print or e-mail these topics to your patients. (You can also locate patient education articles on a variety of subjects by searching on "patient info" and the keyword(s) of interest.)
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Pityriasis rosea is an acute, self-limited, exanthematous skin disease felt most likely to be due to a viral etiology. (See 'Introduction' above and 'Etiology' above.)
The eruption commonly begins with a "herald" or "mother" patch, a single round or oval, rather sharply delimited pink or salmon-colored lesion on the chest, neck, or back, 2 to 5 cm in diameter. A few days or a week or two later, oval lesions similar in appearance to the herald patch, but smaller, appear in crops on the trunk and proximal areas of the extremities (picture 1A-E). The long axes of these oval lesions tend to be oriented along the lines of cleavage of the skin. (See 'Clinical features' above.)
A prodrome of headache, malaise, and pharyngitis may occur in a small number of cases, but except for itching, the condition is usually asymptomatic. (See 'Clinical features' above.)
The diagnosis of pityriasis rosea is typically made based on the history of a herald patch and the clinical appearance of the rash. Laboratory testing is sometimes needed to exclude other conditions such as secondary syphilis. (See 'Differential diagnosis' above.)
Most patients do not require therapy. For patients with mild itching who desire therapy, we suggest treatment with medium-potency topical corticosteroids (table 1) (Grade 2C). (See 'Pruritus' above.)
For patients with severe presentations resulting in a significant negative impact on quality of life, limited data suggest that oral acyclovir may be useful for shortening the course of pityriasis rosea. Phototherapy is an additional treatment option. We suggest not treating such patients with oral erythromycin (Grade 2C). Additional studies will be useful for confirming the efficacy of PR therapies. (See 'Severe cases' above and 'Other therapy' above.)
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REFERENCES

  1. el-Shiemy S, Nassar A, Mokhtar M, Mabrouk D. Light and electron microscopic studies of pityriasis rosea. Int J Dermatol 1987; 26:237.
  2. Drago F, Ranieri E, Malaguti F, et al. Human herpesvirus 7 in patients with pityriasis rosea. Electron microscopy investigations and polymerase chain reaction in mononuclear cells, plasma and skin. Dermatology 1997; 195:374.
  3. Drago F, Broccolo F, Rebora A. Pityriasis rosea: an update with a critical appraisal of its possible herpesviral etiology. J Am Acad Dermatol 2009; 61:303.
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