Premium
Antithyroid Autoantibody‐Associated Dermatitis in Individuals with Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease – An Unrecognized Subset of Autoimmune Disease?
Author(s) -
Cheng W.,
Gilliam A.,
Pazirandeh M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.0303-6987.2005.320aq.x
Subject(s) - medicine , undifferentiated connective tissue disease , pathology , anti nuclear antibody , autoantibody , dermis , dermatology , autoimmune disease , disease , connective tissue disease , immunology , antibody
Skin conditions in individuals with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) are poorly classified and characterised. We reviewed 892 consecutive cases of individuals who had a workup for UCTD. ATAbs were positive in 526(59%). The ATAb(+) and ATAb(−) groups had similar antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity (32% versus 28% respectively), average age (59 versus 58), and female‐male ratio (8:1 versus 6:1). ATAb positivity was significantly associated with a dermatitis, manifested as erythematous macules/patches or papules on legs, shoulders or upper backs, in 9%(47/526) individuals versus 2%(7/366) in ATAb(−) individuals (Pearson’s chi‐square = 18.7, p < 0.0001). Sixteen individuals with dermatitis had biopsies, 14 ATAb(+) and 2 ATAb(−). Routine hematoxylin‐eosin and colloidal iron‐stained sections were examined. Eleven biopsies (79%) from ATAb(+) individuals (5 ANA‐negative, 5 with thyroid disease) and one from ATAb(−) ANA(−) individuals showed interface/lichenoid dermatitis with mild basal keratinocyte vaculopathy, variable dermal mucin deposition, and perivascular mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrates in the upper dermis. The interface dermatitis was not significantly associated with ANA positivity or thyroid disease. In summary, we report an ATAb‐associated interface dermatitis in UCTD patients which may represent a new subset of autoimmune disease, and suggest that ATAb tests may be a useful marker for UCTD.