CLINICAL, HISTOPATHOLOGICAL, AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate some clinical, biochemical, histopathological, and histochemical aspects of AN. This study was carried out on 20 females having AN. They were subjected to complete history taking, thorough general and dermatological examination, pelvic ultrasonography, and evaluation of some biochemical parameters including complete blood picture, FBS and PPBS levels, and some liver and kidney function tests. The results were compared with a control group consisting of 10 age-matched healthy females. Two punch biopsies (4 mm each) were taken from each patient, one from the neck lesion and the other from the nearby apparently normal skin to serve as a control. Skin specimens were stained by H & E stain to revise tl1e histopathological changes and by Fontana-Masson stain and DOPA reaction for evaluation of the melanin pigmentary system. The present work showed that AN patients had a statistically significant increase in their BMI when compared to the controls. This confirms that obesity is an important risk factor for the development of AN. Regarding the distribution of the AN lesions, all the patients had neck lesions, while the axillae, groins and genitocrural areas, and submammary folds were affected in 45%, 30%, and 20% of the patients;