Diffuse hyperpigmentation with guttate depigmentation macules: clinical analysis of 10 cases

Objective To assess the clinical feature and diagnosis of diffuse hyperpigmentation with guttate depigmentation macules.Methods A retrospective study was carried out among 10 patients with diffuse hyperpigmentation with guttate depigmentation macules collected at the Institute of Dermatology,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College from 2005 to 2012.The clinical manifestations,pathological findings and disease outcomes in these patients were analyzed.Results Of the 10 patients,6 were male,and 4 were female.The median age at onset was 7 years (range,4-25),and there were only 3 adult patients among these patients.None of the patients had a family history of pigmentary disturbance.Typical clinical manifestations included densely distributed,guttate hypopigmented macules arising on diffuse and uniform hyperpigmentation.Lesions could slowly spread over the body surface without the trend towards spontaneous regression.Pathologically,there was a slight increase in pigmentation of the epidermal basal layer,as well as melanins and melanophages scattered around blood vessels in the superficial dermis,with or without focal vacuolar degeneration of the basal cell layer.Conclusions Diffuse hyperpigmentation with guttate depigmentation macules,a rare pigmentary disturbance that clinically manifests as both hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation and is pathologically characterized by postinflammatory hyperpigmentation,often affects children.Once the lesions occur,there is no trend towards regression.No effective treatment is available for this entity at present. Key words: Skin pigmentation;  Hypopigmentation;  Pathological processes