Association between lichen planus and dyslipidemia: an experience from North India

Association between lichen planus (LP) and dyslipidaemia and other cardiovascular risk factors has been reported in many studies in the past, with variable results between studies. The aim: this study was undertaken to study the association of lichen planus with dyslipidaemia. Methods: this was a prospective hospital-based case control study conducted over a period of three years, on 105 prospective newly diagnosed male patients of lichen planus and equal number of age and sex matched controls. Fasting serum lipid profile including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) were measured, and comparison done between cases and controls. Results: dyslipidaemia was found in 44 (41.9 %) lichen planus patients (cases) as compared to 28 (26.7 %) controls, the difference being statistically significance (p 0.020). Triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol were significantly higher in cases than controls, whereas difference in the values of abdominal circumference and body mass index (BMI), although more in cases than controls was not statistically significant. Similarly, HDL-cholesterol values were less in cases than controls, but without statistical significance. Conclusion: dyslipidaemia was more common in lichen planus (LP) patients, as compared to controls, suggesting that LP patients are at a higher risk of developing derangements of serum lipids and should be routinely and regularly monitored for dyslipidaemia and other cardiovascular risk factors, to detect cardiovascular diseases well in time. The result of present study strengthens the evidence of association between LP and dyslipidaemia

Localized cutaneous mucinosis associated with multiple myeloma: A rare presentation

Lichen myxoedematosus (LM), a form of primary cutaneous mucinosis, may present either as localized less severe form called papular mucinosis or diffuse more severe form called scleromyxoedema. The diffuse form is almost always associated with monoclonal gammopathy, whereas localized form is not. We report an atypical case of localized form of LM associated with multiple myeloma in a 66-year-old male, who presented with asymptomatic waxy papular eruption on extremities, which on histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cutaneous mucinosis. After initially being put on steroids and hydroxychloroquine with minimal improvement, patient subsequently presented with encephalopathy and on evaluation revealed hypernatremia, hypercalcemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, reversal of albumin-globulin (A/G) ratio, azotemia, and lytic lesions in skull X-ray. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy confirmed multiple myeloma. Patient was successfully treated with standard treatment regimen for multiple myeloma with bortezumib and dexamethasone and his skin lesions subsided completely

An interesting case of giant molluscum with florid verruca vulgaris in an immunocompetent patient

Molluscum contagiosum and warts are two fairly common skin infections caused by DNA viruses i.e. poxvirus and human papilloma virus (HPV) respectively. Both the conditions are benign and mostly self-limited. However in immunocompromised individuals, these infections can have varied atypical presentations like larger, more extensive, recalcitrant and refractory lesions. These atypical presentations in a non-immunocompromised individual are, however, quite rare. We present one such case with atypical presentation of molluscum contagiosum and warts (verruca vulgaris)

Case of classical sarcoma Kaposi in a non-HIV elderly Kashmiri male

Kaposi`s sarcoma (KS) is a tumor of endothelial origin, running a protracted clinical course. Four main types of KS have been described namely classical, endemic African, iatrogenic, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated. There has been a spurt in the cases of KS after the HIV epidemic. We report a case of Kaposi sarcoma in a non-HIV elderly Kashmiri male and review the literature