Elephantiasic pretibial myxoedema: study of five cases
Niang, S.O.; Diallo, M.; Kane, A.; Bocoum, T.I.; Dieng, M.T.; Ndiaye, B.
Dakar Medical 52(2): 95-99
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0049-1101 PMID: 19102101 Document Number: 612929
Elephantiasic myxoedema is very rare. We report 5 pretibial myxoedema cases observed in the Dermatological department of Le Dantec hospital in Dakar. Our 5 cases were 3 women (age: 52, 45 and 18 years) and 2 men (age: 54 and 32 years). All the cases were enormous, multinodular pachydermic, bilateral, elephantiasis in the low leg and associated to Graves 'disease. The duration was 4 month to 12 year. In 3 cases there was a Diamond syndrome which is a severe form. The cutaneous lesions were not influenced by medical treatment of thyroid disease. Systemic steroids achieved improvement of the elephantiasis in 1 case. Elephantiasis is a very unusual presentation of pretibial myxoedema and its occurrence doesn't depend to the intensity of thyrotoxicosis and its evolution. However in our cases, it was a severity indicator factor, like Diamond syndrome. Local and systemic steroids give very rarely improvement.