Dermatoporosis is defined as a chronic cutaneous fragility and insufficiency syndrome. It results from chronological aging, long-term and unprotected sun exposure, genetic factors or the chronic use of topical and systemic corticosteroids.

The purpose of a new study published in Dermatopathology (Basel) was to define the dermal-epidermal modifications which characterize dermatoporosis using noninvasive methods – such as in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and ultrasound (US).

In this study, 17 patients with stage I dermatoporosis and 14 healthy volunteers were selected. The posterior surface of the right forearm was analyzed in all subjects, along with stellate pseudoscars and senile purpura in patients with dermatoporosis.

The results showed that the dermal-epidermal thickness (DET) measured with the US skin system was significantly different between the two groups – mean value 1.19 mm (volunteers’ group) versus 0.81 mm (patient group). Meanwhile, notable differences measured with RCM were – epidermal thickness; number of dermal papillae; and thickness of solar elastosis. In addition, it was observed that stellate pseudoscars were characterized by a modified dermis, with a linear organization of the collagen bundles.

The findings suggested that US and in vivo RCM are useful tools for the diagnosis of dermatoporosis. It was stated that dermal-epidermal atrophy, reduction of dermal papillae/area and the thickness of dermal elastosis are the major histometric parameters, which characterize dermatoporosis.

Source: Dermatopathology (Basel). 2020 Mar 17;6(4):279-287. doi: 10.1159/000505990.