Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

SAGE Publications, International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 1(20), p. 22-28, 2020

DOI: 10.1177/1534734619896938

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Livedo Racemosa: Clinical, Laboratory, and Histopathological Findings in 33 Patients

This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

Full text: Unavailable

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Livedo racemosa is a cutaneous finding characterized by a persistent, erythematous, or violaceous discoloration of the skin, in a broken, branched, discontinuous, and irregular pattern. A retrospective review of 33 cases with clinical diagnosis of livedo racemosa over the past 6 years was evaluated in the dermatology department of a tertiary care hospital. We found predominance in Caucasian women (78.8%); age ranged from 8 to 81 years, with a mean age of 36 years. Livedo racemosa was described as generalized in 12 patients (36.4%), although the main localization was on lower limbs (42%). After laboratory testing and histopathological examinations, 12 patients (36.4%) were classified with idiopathic livedo racemosa; secondary diseases were diagnosis in 21 patients (63.6%), including Sneddon’s syndrome, cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa, systemic lupus erythematosus, and others. Medical history of thrombotic events was described in 8 (24.2%) patients, and also 8 (24.2%) patients had abnormal results for 2 or more thrombophilia laboratory tests. Skin biopsy showed no histological abnormalities in 11 cases (33.3%), thrombosis of dermal blood vessels in 10 (30.3%), intimal/subintimal thickening in 7 (21.2%), and vasculitis in 5 (15.2%). In conclusion, livedo racemosa is a clinical feature that might be correlated to vascular disorders, such as thrombotic and/or hypercoagulable states, autoimmune diseases, and neoplastic diseases, or it can be secondary to specific medications. It is essential to establish a correct approach in cases of livedo racemosa, which includes anamnesis, physical examination, laboratory test, histological examination, and complementary examination according to clinical findings, in order to diagnosis underlying causes.