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European Journal of Dermatology

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Generalized pustular psoriasis with hypoparathyroidism Volume 9, issue 7, October - November 1999

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Authors
Department of Dermatology, Surugadai Nihon University Hospital, 1-8-13 kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101, Japan.

A 36-year-old Japanese woman with pustular psoriasis associated with hypoparathyroidisum was reported. The patient showed hypocalcemia and was treated with calcium supplements and calcitriol. When the serum calcium level became normal, the pustules disappeared and erythroderma completely resolved. Histopathological features consisted of the formation of intraepidermal pustules including spongiform pustules underneath the stratum corneum, and acantholysis was observed in the epidermis. It was suggested that generalized pustular psoriasis may have been induced by hypocalcemia due to hypoparathyroidism in this case, and that acantholysis may be caused by hypocalcemia, since intercellular junctional components such as cadherins are highly dependent on calcium in the epidermis.