A variant of acrokeratoelastoidosis in systemic scleroderma: report of 7 cases.

We describe acrokeratoelastoidosis-like lesions on the palms of the patients with systemic scleroderma. Histology showed a focal hyperkeratosis with or without epidermal concavity, regular acanthosis, and hyalinization of collagen fibers and, in some cases, fragmentation and diminution of elastic fibers in the deep dermis. A slight degree of fibrotic change of collagen in the uninvolved neighboring skin was found in one case. The lesions were found in 7 of 26 patients with systemic scleroderma who were analyzed here, and were not found in the unrelated connective tissue disorders (n = 32) and normal controls (n = 27). The cause of the unique skin lesions may be related to the altered connective tissue metabolism similar to that of systemic scleroderma.