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Should we biopsy melanonychia striata in Asian children? A retrospective observational study
Author(s) -
Colin Tan WeiXuan,
Wang Ding Yuan,
Seghers Amelie C.,
Koh Mark J. A.,
Nicholas Goh Seng Geok,
Joyce Lee Siong See
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
pediatric dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.542
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1525-1470
pISSN - 0736-8046
DOI - 10.1111/pde.13934
Subject(s) - medicine , dermatology , biopsy , nail (fastener) , nail plate , presentation (obstetrics) , surgery , radiology , psoriasis , materials science , metallurgy
Background and Objectives Melanonychia striata is common in children of darker‐skinned Asian races, while subungual melanoma is extremely rare and it is difficult to make a diagnosis clinically. However, performing nail unit biopsies in children is particularly challenging and can result in permanent nail dystrophy. The aim of this study was to review the clinical and histologic characteristics of melanonychia striata in pediatric patients of Asian descent to aid in the clinical decision regarding nail biopsy. Methods Sixty‐two pediatric patients presenting with melanonychia striata involving single or multiple nails at two tertiary pediatric dermatology clinics in Singapore between 2005 and 2015 were reviewed. Clinical and histopathological data were analyzed, including age at onset, age at presentation, location, color, width, presence of Hutchinson's sign, pseudo‐Hutchinson's sign, nail dystrophy, length of follow‐up, and clinical evolution. Histopathological assessment was performed by three senior dermatopathologists independently for cases that underwent a nail biopsy. Results No cases of subungual melanoma were detected in our series. Solitary melanonychia of the thumbnail with a single uniform color was the most common presentation. Pseudo‐Hutchinson's sign was commonly observed. Consensus in histological diagnosis emerged amongst all three dermatopathologists in only half of the cases biopsied. Conclusion The occurrence of melanoma in Asian children presenting with melanonychia is extremely rare. We recommend clinical follow‐up and anticipatory guidance for these patients and nail unit biopsy only in the presence of high‐risk clinical features.