Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus (ILVEN) versus linear psoriasis. A clinical, histological and immunohistochemical study.

Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Nevus (ILVEN) has been suggested to be a separate disease entity. However, the distinction from linear psoriasis has been discussed in the literature over recent decades. The aim of the present study was to investigate, in addition to the clinical and histological criteria, the immunohistochemical aspects of inflammation, epidermal proliferation and keratinization. From a clinical and histological point of view, ILVEN and psoriasis, according to the established criteria, have been proved to overlap. The immunohistochemical study suggests that the following procedures have an additional diagnostic impact: assessment of elastase-positive cells, assessment of keratin 16 and of keratin 10.