Childhood longitudinal melanonychia: case series from Poland

Michał Sobjanek; Martyna Sławińska; Alicja Romaszkiewicz; Wojciech Biernat; Rafał Pęksa; Roman Nowicki

doi:10.5114/ada.2019.87706

eISSN: 2299-0046
ISSN: 1642-395X

Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii

Current issue Archive Manuscripts accepted About the journal Editorial board Reviewers Abstracting and indexing Subscription Contact Instructions for authors Publication charge Ethical standards and procedures

Editorial System

Submit your Manuscript

Editorial Policies

Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Publications

2/2020
vol. 37

Send email

Copy url:

abstract:

Original paper

Childhood longitudinal melanonychia: case series from Poland

Michał Sobjanek

¹

,

Martyna Sławińska

¹

,

Alicja Romaszkiewicz

¹

,

Wojciech Biernat

²

,

Rafał Pęksa

²

,

Roman J. Nowicki

¹

Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Gdañsk, Gdañsk, Poland
Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdañsk, Gdañsk, Poland

Adv Dermatol Allergol 2020; XXXVII (2): 195–201

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2019.87706

Online publish date: 2019/09/10

View full text Get citation

Introduction
Longitudinal melanonychia (LM) is characterized by a tan, brown or black longitudinal streak within nail plate caused by the presence of melanin. LM is relatively common in dark-skinned population, infrequent in Caucasian population, and rare in children.

Aim
We report epidemiological, clinicopathological and dermoscopic analysis of 8 cases of childhood LM from Poland, which is the largest series in the Central and Eastern European population.

Material and methods
Three hundred and forty-eight patients presenting with various nail pigmentation (in 2010–2016) were analysed. 72 cases of LM have been identified, including 8 cases of childhood LM (< 16 years of age), which were included in further analysis.

Results
Seven patients were boys and one girl, with mean age of 9 years (range: 6–13). More than a half (n = 5) presented skin phototype II. The most common location of melanonychia was the first left fingernail. Dermoscopy revealed heterogeneity of longitudinal lines colour in 5 cases. The irregularity of longitudinal line thickness in5 cases and irregularity of parallelism in 5 cases was observed. Histopathological evaluation was performed in 4 patients, in 3 cases it revealed the presence of nail matrix nevus, in one case the presence of melanocytic proliferation of the lentiginous pattern along the dermoepidermal junction.

Conclusions
Despite the fact that melanoma was not recognised in any case, such a possibility should always be considered as the cause of LM, even in the paediatric population. Dermoscopy seems to be useful in patient follow-up and management.

keywords:

Childhood longitudinal melanonychia: case series from Poland

Michał Sobjanek 1 , Martyna Sławińska 1 , Alicja Romaszkiewicz 1 , Wojciech Biernat 2 , Rafał Pęksa 2 , Roman J. Nowicki 1

longitudinal melanonychia, nail apparatus melanoma, children, dermoscopy

Michał Sobjanek

¹

,

Martyna Sławińska

¹

,

Alicja Romaszkiewicz

¹

,

Wojciech Biernat

²

,

Rafał Pęksa

²

,

Roman J. Nowicki

¹