Livedoid vasculitis
| Livedoid vasculitis | |
| ICD-10 | L95.0 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | xxx |
| DiseasesDB | 7546 |
| MedlinePlus | 001478 |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Overview
Livedoid vasculitis (also known as "livedo vasculitis", "livedo reticularis", and "livedoid vasculopathy") is a vascular disorder mostly affecting women. It may be aggravated by exposure to cold and occurs most often in the lower extremities. It can also be associated with the presence of anti-cardiolipin antibodies (the Antiphospholipid syndrome).
The condition's name derives from the Latin livere meaning bluish.
Etiology
A number of conditions may cause the appearance of livedo reticularis:
- Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita a rare congenital condition
- Sneddon syndrome - association of Livedoid vasculitis and systemic vascular disorders, such as strokes, due to underlying genetic cause.[1]
- Idiopathic livedo reticularis - is the commonest cause of livedo reticularis appearance and is a completely benign condition of unknown cause affecting mostly young women during the winter.[2] May be mild, but ulceration may occur later in the summer.[3]
- Secondary livedo reticularis:
- Vasculitis autoimmune conditions:
- Livedoid vasculitis - with painful ulceration occurring in the lower legs
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Systemic lupus erythematosus[4]
- Dermatomyositis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lymphoma
- Pancreatitis[5]
- Tuberculosis
- Amantadine (drug)
- Obstruction of capillaries:
- Cryoglobulinaemia - proteins in the blood that clump together in cold conditions.[6]
- Antiphospholipid syndrome due to small blood clots
- Hypercalcaemia (raised blood calcium levels which may be deposited in the capillaries)
- Haematological disorders of Polycythaemia rubra vera or Thrombocytosis (excessive red cells or platelets)
- Infections (syphilis and tuberculosis)
- Arteriosclerosis (cholesterol emboli syndrome)[7][8] and homocystinuria (due to Chromosome 21 autosomal recessive Cystathionine beta synthase deficiency)
- Intra-arterial injection (especially in drug addicts)
- Vasculitis autoimmune conditions:
Treatment
Other than identifying and treating any underlying conditions in secondary livedo,[9] idiopathic livedo reticularis itself may improve with warming the legs, but once established the skin discolouration may become permanent.
Footnotes
- ↑ Sneddon I (1965). "Cerebro-Vascular Lesions And Livedo Reticularis". Br J Dermatol. 77: 180–5. PMID 14278790. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Gibbs M, English J, Zirwas M (2005). "Livedo reticularis: an update". J Am Acad Dermatol. 52 (6): 1009–19. PMID 15928620.
- ↑ Feldaker M, Hines E, Kierland R (1955). "Livedo reticularis with summer ulcerations". AMA Arch Derm. 72 (1): 31–42. PMID 14387292.
- ↑ Golden R (1963). "Livedo reticularis in systemic lupus erythematosus". Arch Dermatol. 87: 299–301. PMID 13948706. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Sigmund W, Shelley W (1954). "Cutaneous manifestations of acute pancreatitis, with special reference to livedo reticularis". N Engl J Med. 251 (21): 851–3. PMID 13214346.
- ↑ Langhof H, Braun G, Matzkowski H (1957). "[Livedo reticularis due to cold gelation of the blood by gamma-plasmacytoma.]". Arch Klin Exp Dermatol. 205 (4): 343–50. PMID 13522017.
- ↑ Kazmier F, Sheps S, Bernatz P, Sayre G (1966). "Livedo reticularis and digital infarcts: a syndrome due to cholesterol emboli arising from atheromatous abdominal aortic aneurysms". Vasc Dis. 3 (1): 12–24. PMID 5903590.
- ↑ Stewart W, Lauret P, Testart J, Thomine E, Boulliê M, Leroy D (1977). "[Cutaneous cholesterol emboli (author's transl)]". Ann Dermatol Venereol. 104 (1): 5–8. PMID 843026.
- ↑ Fleischer A, Resnick S (1990). "Livedo reticularis". Dermatol Clin. 8 (2): 347–54. PMID 2191805.