Addisonian Pigmentation - The Great Mimicker - A Review
Skin colour usually depends upon melanin, haemoglobin, and carotenoids. Pigmentary disorders indicate an increased amount of melanin, leading to a darker colour of the skin, called hypermelanosis. Addison's disease is a rare endocrinal disorder with severe oral and systemic manifestations. Any...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Book |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications,
2024-11-01T00:00:00Z.
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| Summary: | Skin colour usually depends upon melanin, haemoglobin, and carotenoids. Pigmentary disorders indicate an increased amount of melanin, leading to a darker colour of the skin, called hypermelanosis. Addison's disease is a rare endocrinal disorder with severe oral and systemic manifestations. Any form of diffuse skin hyper-pigmentation which is more pronounced on sun-exposed areas mimics Addison's disease and is called Addisonian pigmentation. Pigmentation often precedes other manifestations by months to years and hence can lead to early diagnosis and can prevent life-threatening adrenal crisis. The most common cause of adrenal insufficiency in developing countries is tuberculosis. A similar pattern of pigmentation has been reported in Cushing's syndrome, ectopic ACTH-producing tumours, vitamin B12 deficiency, and thyrotoxicosis. Addisonian pigmentation can be a manifestation of multiple systemic diseases; hence, an inter-disciplinary approach is needed with extensive clinical and laboratory evaluation. It is not merely a cosmetic concern. Not much data are available in the literature regarding this entity. This brief review serves as an important source for clinicians to stay up-to-date regarding the history, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and management of this entity. |
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| Item Description: | 0019-5154 1998-3611 10.4103/ijd.ijd_234_23 |