Atrophoderma

ATROPHODERMA (from Greek a- negative particle, trophe nourishment, and derma skin), a trophic disorder of the skin expressed in a decrease in the number and volume of all or some of its elements, not accompanied by phenomena of disintegration. Clinically, such skin is thinned, wrinkled, flaccid, altered in color, sometimes fused with underlying tissues and tense (atrophic dermatosclerosis). Atrophoderma either occupies extensive areas (diffuse) and sometimes even the entire skin (universal), or has a focal character (macular). Atrophoderma developing without visible symptoms is called primary; developing after symptoms preceding it or alongside them, it is called secondary. Idiopathic is atrophoderma preceded by unclassified dermatoses of unknown etiology, such as, for example, anetodermia erythematodes, acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, poikilodermia atrophicans vascularis, pseudopelade. Atrophoderma from the loss of any constituent parts of the skin covering is called partial; with the loss of all its constituent parts, atrophoderma is called total. In rare cases, atrophoderma is congenital, usually acquired. Congenital atrophoderma is either macular or total, for example, in children who are degenerative or exposed to X-rays in the mother's womb. This also includes naevi atrophici. Examples of primary acquired atrophoderma are hemiatrophia facialis, Witterungsatrophie, xeroderma pigmentosum, senile atrophoderma, and X-ray atrophoderma (without dermatitis). The group of partial acquired atrophodermas is composed of: a) striae and maculae atrophicae, depending on the rupture of apparently healthy elastic fibers; b) atrophoderma subcutaneum of American authors in the form of pit-like depressions of various forms due to the destruction of adipose tissue and its replacement by fibrous tissue, which is sometimes preceded by a chronic inflammatory infiltrate. It is possible that some of these cases represent the outcome of oleogranuloma. Atrophoderma occurs as an inevitable outcome in lupus erythematosus, pityriasis rubra Hebrae, favus, etc., and as a possible outcome in lichen ruber planus, sycosis lupoides, dermatitis exfoliativa, etc. Atrophodermic dermatoscleroses are observed in scleroderma, varicose veins of the lower leg, etc. The causes of primary and idiopathic atrophoderma are usually chronic infection and autointoxication, damage to the nervous system, and endocrine-sympathetic disorders. The prognosis and treatment of the disease depend on the etiology.