Abstract
Telangiectasias are dilatation of the capillaries, arterioles, and/or venules of the skin. They are often found in various rheumatic disorders and can provide both diagnostic and prognostic clues for the astute clinician. Their distribution, configuration, associated signs and symptoms, and the medical history of the patient are all important clues to being able to distinguish between isolated lesions and those which require consideration for underlying systemic pathology. This chapter will review the differential diagnosis of mucocutaneous telangiectasias, with a specific focus on the patient with autoimmune disease. The chapter will discuss primary and secondary telangiectasias. The primary telangiectasias include hereditary disorders, generalized essential telangiectasia, and other more rare disorders. Secondary telangiectasias are those secondary to physical factors (e.g., trauma, irradiation) or medications and toxins. This class also includes telangiectasias associated with metabolic or endocrine disorders, such as increased levels of estrogen or thyroid abnormalities. The final group in this class includes inflammatory disorders, including those not considered autoimmune (e.g., acne rosacea, mastocytosis) and the classic rheumatic skin disorders such as lupus erythematous, systemic sclerosis, and dermatomyositis. Photographic examples of classic telangiectasia morphologies are given. Finally, a diagnostic algorithm to the patient presenting with telangiectasias is provided.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Grand’Maison A. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. CMAJ. 2009;180(8):833–5.
Karen JK, et al. Generalized essential telangiectasia. Dermatol Online J. 2008;14(5):9.
Perez A, et al. Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy with generalized telangiectasia in two female patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;63(5):882–5.
Wenson SF, Jan F, Sepehr A. Unilateral nevoid telangiectasia syndrome: a case report and review of the literature. Dermatol Online J. 2011;17(5):2.
Basarab T, Yu R, Jones RR. Calcium antagonist-induced photo-exposed telangiectasia. Br J Dermatol. 1997;136(6):974–5.
Theriault G, Cordier S, Harvey R. Skin telangiectases in workers at an aluminum plant. N Engl J Med. 1980;303(22):1278–81.
Pechere M, et al. Red fingers syndrome in patients with HIV and hepatitis C infection. Lancet. 1996;348(9021):196–7.
Bridges BF, Hector DA. Possible association of cutaneous telangiectasia with cardiac myxoma. Am J Med. 1989;87(4):483–5.
Shah AA, Wigley FM, Hummers LK. Telangiectases in scleroderma: a potential clinical marker of pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Rheumatol. 2010;37(1):98–104.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fiorentino, D. (2014). Telangiectasias. In: Matucci-Cerinic, M., Furst, D., Fiorentino, D. (eds) Skin Manifestations in Rheumatic Disease. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7849-2_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7849-2_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7848-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7849-2
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)