Cutaneous manifestations of leukemia
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Keywords
Leukemia, Dermatology, Stem cells
Abstract
Background: To describe the type and frequency of cutaneous manifestations of leukemia
Methods: Observational, descriptive study. We included patients over 16 years of age, with confirmed diagnosis of leukemia from the Hematology and Dermatology Departments of the outpatient clinic and from in-patients. Patients with bone marrow transplantation were excluded. A complete history and physical examination of the skin and appendages was performed, with biopsy and cultures if required. The cutaneous manifestations were classified as infection or drug-related, leukemic infiltration, associated dermatosis to leukemia and non-specific lesions. Descriptive statistics was employed.
Results: We included 142 patients (62 females, 80 males) with the following diagnoses: acute myeloid leukemia (n = 36), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n= 52), chronic myeloid leukemia (n = 21), chronic lymphocitic leukemia (n = 30) and hairy cells leukemia (n = 3). 42 % of patients (n = 60) presented some dermatoses. There were 36 non-specific dermatoses, 21 drug-related, 20 infectious, 3 infiltrative and none associated.
Conclusions: Cutaneous manifestations directly related to leukemia are frequent, being the non-specific ones, the most commonly observed. However, a thorough dermatologic examination is important in these patients as part of an overall evaluation.
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