[Sulzberger-Garbe exudative discoid and lichenoid chronic dermatosis ("Oid-Oid disease")--reality or fiction?]

In 1937, Sulzberger and Garbe singled out an exudative discoid and lichenoid chronic dermatosis characterized by the combination of various symptoms which by themselves are not specific from the heterogeneous eczema group. The report of a 7-year-old girl is used as a basis to describe the characteristics of the disease and to present the authors' own interpretation. Clinically, there were discoid and lichenoid lesions with severe pruritus. Blood examination revealed eosinophilia. Histopathological examination of skin lesions showed psoriasiform, spongiotic, lichenoid dermatitis. A therapeutic regimen of oral corticosteroids led to complete regression of the skin changes. We feel that there are no clinical or histological findings to differentiate Sulzberger-Garbe disease definitely from extensive nummular eczema.