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Outcome of facial rashes with non‐specific histological features: a long‐term follow‐up of 64 cases
Author(s) -
Rhodes Lesley E.,
Parslew Richard A. G.,
Ashworth John
Publication year - 1995
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.1600-0560.1995.tb01400.x
Subject(s) - dermatopathology , medicine , rosacea , dermatology , biopsy , histology , pathology , skin biopsy , medical diagnosis , indeterminate , acne , mathematics , pure mathematics
Facial inflammatory dermatoses can be difficult to diagnose in their early stages; skin biopsy may help but often shows indeterminate features. The aims of our study were to identify patients presenting with a facial dermatosis requiring skin biopsy, in whom the initial histological features were classified as “non‐specific”, to determine the eventual diagnostic outcome, and to attempt to identify subtle early histological features. We located 79 such cases with indeterminate histology from 45,000 dermatopathology reports 1972‐1987. The original biopsies were assessed and scored using a check‐list of 20 features and the patients' case‐records up to 1992 were examined. Follow‐up information was available in 64 cases and an eventual clinical diagnosis was made in 54 (84%) of these; the commonest diagnoses were rosacea (26%), chronic discoid lupus erythematosus (24%) and seborrheic or unclassified dermatitis (17%). Histological differences were seen in the original biopsies of these three diagnostic categories, although none was predictive. We conclude that clinical follow‐up leads to the diagnosis of most facial rashes initially showing “nonspecific” histology.