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[Painful bruising syndrome: a psychogenic disease]
P Boussault1, M S Doutre, M Beylot-Barry
1Service de dermatologie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, avenue de Magellan, 33604 Pessac cedex, France.
Introduction:
Painful bruising syndrome was described by Gardner and Diamond in 1955. It is marked by spontaneous bruising, without any biological abnormality, affecting young women with pathological mental context.
Exegesis:
We report three observations with painful bruising syndrome. In a patient, psychotherapy induced improvement in dermatological and articular manifestations. In other case, placebotherapy made clinical symptoms go away for a prolonged period.
Conclusion:
Some etiological hypotheses have been postulated for Gardner and Diamond syndrome. However, published cases speak in favour of psychogenic hypothesis. Somatic and psychological approach must be offered to these patients.
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