HISTOPATHOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF PSORIASIFORM SKIN LESIONS- A CENTRE BASED STUDY.

Objective: To study frequencies, morphological patterns, and the spectrum of psoriasiform lesions and to assess diagnostic accuracy of histopathology.Study design: Cross-sectional.Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted from January 2007 to December 2011 at the Department of Histopathology, Basic Medical Science Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi.Materials and Methods: All the biopsies of psoriasiform dermatitis were selected for detailed study. The clinicalhistory and relevant data was recorded from the surgical pathology record registers. Haematoxylin and eosinstained slides were retrieved and special stains were performed where required.Results: Out of total of 113 cases of psoriasiform dermatitis, 42 were reviewed as psoriasis and the rest of 71lesions were an array of lesions diagnosed as chronic dermatitis, nodular prurigo, pityriasis rubra pilaris, seborrheic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, lichen simplex chronicus, Mycosis Fungoides, Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus (ILVEN), leucoclastic vasculitis, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, PLEVA, and psoriasiform drug reaction.Conclusion: In a developing country like Pakistan where the tertiary care hospitals do not provide ancillary diagnostic facilities like immunohistochemistry and immunoflourescence, a good and careful viewing of morphologicalfeatures in collaboration with the dermatology department , makes it possible to reach an authentic diagnosiswhich in turn proves helpful to the dermatologist in prescribing the correct medications and treatment.