Alopecia areata is a non-scarring form of alopecia that can be localized or widespread. Its etiology is unknown, but immunological factors are implicated in its pathogenesis. With the more frequent use of anti TNFα biologic drugs, some alopecia areata cases during their use have been described. We report a case of universal alopecia in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis while using adalimumab and leflunomide.

Melanoma Guidelines of the Brazilian Dermatology Society recommend histologic review by pathologists trained in melanocytic lesions whenever possible. Out of 145 melanoma cases identified at a private clinic in São Paulo/Brazil, 31 that had been submited to histologic review were studied to evaluate whether revision had led to change in therapeutic approach.. Differences in original/reviewed reports were found in 58.1% (n=18) of the reports, leading to changes in therapeutic approach in 41.9% (n=13). Change in diagnosis was observed in 6 out of 31 (19,3%) cases. These findings suggest that second opinion by pathologists trained in melanocytic lesions is likely to show significant differences from the original report.

Inflammatory bowel diseases can commonly present many cutaneous lesions which can contribute to the diagnosis of the disease or its activity. The most frequent cutaneous or mucocutaneous manifestations suggesting ulcerative rectocolitis activity are erythema nodosum (3-10%), pyoderma gangrenosum (5-12%) and aphthous stomatitis (4%). Other reactive skin manifestations related to immunological mechanisms associated with the inflammatory bowel disease are: Sweet's syndrome, arthritis-dermatitis syndrome associated with inflammatory bowel disease and leukocytoclastic vasculitis. We describe the case of a young man with diagnosis of ulcerative rectocolitis, which presented an extensive cutaneous gangrene secondary to microvascular thrombosis. The case represents a dermatologic rarity and should be recognized as a cutaneous manifestation related to the hypercoagulability state observed in the disease's activity.