INTRODUCTION :
Skin is a very important and largest organ of the body. It is the only
organ which is visible and is in direct contact with the environment.
In the examination of the skin, the morphology of individual lesions,
their overall pattern and spatial relationship to each other, and their body site
distribution are helpful and provide an easily recognizable clue to a rapid
visual diagnosis. Indeed, clinical diagnosis is more precise than laboratory
tests in many disorders.
Skin lesions present with innumerable patterns like Discoid, Petaloid,
Arcuate, Annular, Polycyclic, Livedo, Reticulate, Target, Stellate, Digitate,
Linear, Serpiginous, Whorled, etc.
Among these patterns, Linearity is a stellar pattern which attracts the
attention of patients and clinicians alike. A single lesion may assume a linear
shape or a number of lesions may be arranged in a linear pattern.
The mechanisms or anatomical factors dictating the Linearity are of
the following groups:
- Linear configurations determined by the course of blood vessels,
lymphatics or nerve trunks
- Linear lesions of developmental origin
- Linear lesions following Dermatomal pattern
- Linear lesions caused by External factors like Plants, Allergens,
Chemicals, Thermal and Physical factors (includes Koebner’s
phenomenon).
- Linear configurations due to other determinants
Most of the Linear lesions follow the Blaschko’s lines. Patients with
linear lesions attending the Dermatology Out Patient Department at Govt.
General Hospital comprise my study group.
AIMS OF STUDY :
1. To study the Incidence of Linear Dermatoses at the Skin Out Patient
Department, Government General Hospital, Madras Medical
College, Chennai, during the period Sep-2004 to Sep-2006
2. To study the age and sex distribution.
3. To study the symptomatology and predisposing factors.
4. To study the various sites of distribution.
5. To study the histopathological pattern.
6. To look for other associated conditions.
CONCLUSION :
1. The Incidence of Linear Dermatoses in our skin Out Patient Department,
Govt. General Hospital, Madras Medical College, Chennai during the
period of Sep- 2004 to Sep-2006 --- 0.32 %
2. Among the Linear Dermatoses, Lichen striatus was found to be more
common
3. The other Dermatoses following Blaschko’s lines, in the descending order
of frequency seen in this study were Linear Lichen Planus, Linear
Verrucous
Epidermal Nevus, Linear Morphoea, Linear Vitiligo, Linear Psoriasis and
Linear Lichenoid Dermatitis.
4. In this study, on the whole, slight Male preponderance was noted.
5. Majority of patients showed unilateral distribution in a linear pattern, more
often on the extremities.
6. The importance of histopathological correlation is very obvious. Cases
which were clinically diagnosed as Lichen Striatus showed
histopathological features of Psoriasis and Linear Epidermal Verrucous
Nevus, ultimately changing the management in any given condition.
7. The lesions were more of a cosmetic concern in most of the cases in this
study.
8. Very few associations were noted such as, cases of Lichen Planus which
were associated with Becker’s Nevus, Insect bite allergy and HBs Ag
sero positivity and Lichen Striatus with Xerosis, Tinea Versicolor
and photosensitivity
