Document Detail


Wells' syndrome is a distinctive disease entity and not a histologic diagnosis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  3279079     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Wells' syndrome is a distinctive dermatosis clinically resembling acute cellulitis with solid edema; it resolves spontaneously after weeks or months without residues. Recurrences over many years are common. Light microscopy is characteristic for the disease, with diffuse tissue eosinophilia and marked edema, fibrinoid "flame figures," and palisading microgranuloma. Vasculitis is never found. Eosinophilia of the peripheral blood is a frequent feature. Etiology and pathogenesis are unknown, but the disease has been found to be associated with hematologic disorders in several cases, and recurrences can often be related to infections, arthropod bites, drug administration, or surgery. The diagnosis of Wells' syndrome should be based on the typical clinical picture and the course of the disease with its recurrences and histopathology. Flame figures in histologic sections are an important diagnostic feature but not diagnostic per se for the disease because they represent a reaction pattern that can occur in other conditions. A dilution of Wells' syndrome by making flame figures the central criterion of diagnosis and by lumping all flame figure-positive skin reactions together is therefore unjustified.
Authors:
W Aberer; K Konrad; K Wolff
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology     Volume:  18     ISSN:  0190-9622     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Am. Acad. Dermatol.     Publication Date:  1988 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1988-04-15     Completed Date:  1988-04-15     Revised Date:  2005-11-16    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7907132     Medline TA:  J Am Acad Dermatol     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  105-14     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Dermatology I, University of Vienna, Austria.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
Adult
Aged
Cellulitis / pathology
Child
Child, Preschool
Diagnosis, Differential
Edema / drug therapy,  pathology*
Eosinophilic Granuloma / drug therapy,  pathology*
Hematologic Diseases / complications
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pruritus / drug therapy,  pathology*
Skin Diseases / drug therapy,  pathology*
Syndrome
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
J Am Acad Dermatol. 1989 Feb;20(2 Pt 1):298-9   [PMID:  2915071 ]

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