A 35-Year-Old Man Comes to the Office for Evaluation of a Rash

question 127

Multiple Choice

A 35-year-old man comes to the office for evaluation of a rash on his elbows.  The patient has had this rash intermittently for several months, but lately, it has become more persistent and bothersome.  He has had mild associated itching but no pain and has tried a topical moisturizing lotion without relief.  The patient installs tile floors for a residential construction company.  He has no chronic medical conditions and takes no regular medications.  The patient does not use tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs.  Vitals signs are within normal limits.  The rash on his elbow is shown below, and a similar rash is present on the other elbow. Which of the following histologic changes would be most likely if this patient's skin lesion were biopsied?

• A)Epidermal hyperplasia
• B)Granulomatous inflammation
• C)Intense eosinophilic infiltration
• D)Squamous cell dysplasia
• E)Thinning of the epidermis

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Definitions:

Correlation

A statistical measure that indicates the extent to which two or more variables fluctuate together.

Regression Analyses

Statistical methods used to estimate the relationships among variables, often used to predict a key variable based on others.

Forecasting

The practice of predicting future trends, demands, or events based on historical data and analysis.

Predicting

The process of forecasting future events, outcomes, or trends based on current or historical data, using various statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques.