What is actinic granuloma?
Actinic granuloma is a rare, idiopathic disorder of middle-aged adults that always appears in sun-exposed skin [1,2]. It is a form of granulomatous dermatosis characterized by annular plaques with central atrophy and raised erythematous margins that are similar to those observed in granuloma annulare (GA) [3].
How common is actinic granuloma?
Introduction. Actinic granuloma (AG) is a chronic disorder characterized by the development of elastolytic granulomas on sun-exposed skin. The pathogenesis of AG is unknown. This disease is relatively rare, and only 16 cases were reported on PubMed in the past five years.
How is actinic granuloma treated?
What is the treatment of actinic granuloma? Sun protection is important to reduce the chance of further lesions. Treatment of actinic granuloma can be difficult. Infiltration of corticosteroids into the raised edge, phototherapy, and antimalarials are largely ineffective.
Is granuloma annulare a connective tissue disorder?
Actinic Granuloma An Annular Connective Tissue Disorder Affecting Sun and Heat-Damaged (Elastotic) Skin. Ring-shaped inflammatory lesions sometimes develop in the abnormal, “elastotic” connective tissues of skin damaged by sun and heat.
Is actinic granuloma an autoimmune disease?
Introduction. Actinic granuloma is an uncommon granulomatous reaction hypothesized to be an autoimmune response to actinic damage to elastic tissue (O’Brien, 1978).
What is granuloma?
A granuloma is a small area of inflammation. Granulomas are often found incidentally on an X-ray or other imaging test done for a different reason. Typically, granulomas are noncancerous (benign). Granulomas frequently occur in the lungs, but can occur in other parts of the body and head as well.
Is granuloma an autoimmune disease?
One of the most important evidence of the autoimmune inflammation in sarcoidosis is the formation of granulomas, mainly in the lungs and the mediastinal lymph nodes as well as in the skin and liver of patients.
Is granuloma annulare an autoimmune condition?
Although the exact etiology of granuloma annulare remains uncertain, an autoimmune cell-mediated reaction is the favored mechanism.
Can granuloma annulare be misdiagnosed?
Granuloma annulare can be mistaken for other common annular skin conditions such as tinea corporis, pityriasis rosea, nummular eczema, psoriasis, or erythema migrans of Lyme disease. The lack of any surface changes to the skin is the key feature that distinguishes granuloma annulare from these other skin conditions.
What is granuloma pathology?
In pathology, a granuloma is an organized collection of macrophages. In medical practice, doctors occasionally use the term granuloma in its more literal meaning: “a small nodule”. Since a small nodule can represent any tissue from a harmless nevus to a malignant tumor, this use of the term is not very specific.
Are granulomas cancerous?
What is the significance of a granuloma?
Granulomas seem to be a defensive mechanism that triggers the body to “wall off” foreign invaders such as bacteria or fungi to keep them from spreading. Common causes include an inflammatory condition called sarcoidosis and infections such as histoplasmosis or tuberculosis.
What are the four components of granuloma?
. (1) Triggering of T cells by antigen- presenting cells; (2) release of cytokines and chemokines with multiple and overlapping functions; (3) accumulation and in situ pro- liferation of immunocompetent cells at sites of ongoing inflammation; (4) organized structure of granuloma.
What is the pathophysiology of Actinic granuloma?
Actinic granuloma is thought to be an inflammatory response to extensive sun damage with subsequent degeneration of elastic fibres. It begins as flesh-coloured or pink papules which coalescence into annular plaques. In actinic granuloma, sections show a granulomatous reaction involving the markedly elastotic dermis (figure 1).
What are the treatment options for Actinic granuloma?
Treatment of actinic granuloma can be difficult. Infiltration of corticosteroids into the raised edge, phototherapy, and antimalarials are largely ineffective. Isotretinoin and acitretin have been used with varying success and there are case reports of success with ciclosporin.
What is O’Brien granuloma also known as?
It is also known as O’Brien granuloma after the physician that first described it. What is the cause of actinic granuloma? Actinic granuloma is thought to be inflammatory response to sun damage, possibly to injured elastic fibres. The white cells known as Helper T- lymphocytes are predominantly involved.
What lab tests are used to diagnose Actinic granuloma?
Routine laboratory, antinuclear antibody and extractable nuclear antigen tests were negative or within normal limits. Histopathologic examination was consistent with actinic granuloma (Appendix 1, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.190120/-/DC1 ).