Scleromyxedema: successful treatment with thalidomide in two patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Scleromyxedema is an unusual skin disease characterized by mucinous infiltration of the skin. There is no satisfactory treatment for this disorder.

CASE REPORT:

We report 2 cases of scleromyxedema, both associated with an IgG-lambda paraprotein. Treatment with thalidomide was started and great improvement of the lesion was noted as shown by a quality of life questionnaire similar to those used in rheumatoid arthritis. TNF-alpha value was elevated in both cases during this treatment.

DISCUSSION:

We hypothesize that the efficiency of thalidomide could be mediated by its costimulatory effect on T cytotoxic lymphocytes.

• Authors: Mona Amini-Adle, Nadege Thieulent, Stéphane Dalle, Brigitte Balme, Luc Thomas
• Journal: Dermatology (Basel, Switzerland) (Dermatology) Vol. 214 Issue 1 Pg. 58-60 ( 2007) ISSN: 1018-8665 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 17191049 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Thalidomide

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Cell Proliferation
• Female
• Fibroblasts (pathology)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Retrospective Studies
• Scleromyxedema (blood, drug therapy, pathology)
• Thalidomide (therapeutic use)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (blood)