Dermatological Manifestations of Connective Tissue Diseases in Black People

Abstract

Abstract:Objectives: This study aims at contributing to provide a better knowledge of dermatological manifestations of Connective Tissue Diseases (CTDs) in dark-skinned patients. Though they appear visible and unsightly on black skins, cutaneous manifestations are often misleading and not really known by clinicians.Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study base on the patient's medical records concerning those consulted and admitted at the department of Dermatology of the Teaching Hospital of Treichville (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire), for CTDs over the time period of 10 years, from January 02, 2002 to December 31, 2011. We included in this study, dark-skinned patients consulted or admitted in the department for Connective Tissue Diseases.Results: Over the period of ten years, 42 499 patients were consulted for various dermatoses. Of those patients, we found 364 cases of CTDs about 0.8% of cases. In frequency order, these CTDs were as follows: Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (0.46%), Systemic Scleroderma (0.26%), Dermatomyositis (0.07%), Systemic Lupus (0.05%) and Sub-acute Lupus (0.0%); as a rule, dermatological manifestations were similar to those in white people. However, we have some particular aspects related to erythematous lesions, Raynaud's syndrome and pigmentary disorders which take misleading aspects in black people. Conclusion:The dermatological manifestation of CTDs in black people is polymorphous and moreover misleading. In our environment of poverty and where immunological examinations are very costly, a good knowledge of these clinical signs could guide biological and immunological evaluation and contribute to early diagnosis.