Cutis marmorata (from
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''marmor'', "marble") is a benign skin condition which, if persistent, occurs in
Cornelia de Lange syndrome
Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a genetic disorder. People with Cornelia de Lange syndrome experience a range of physical, cognitive, and medical challenges ranging from mild to severe. Cornelia de Lange syndrome has a widely varied phenotype, ...
,
trisomy 13 and
trisomy 18 syndromes.
When a newborn infant is exposed to low environmental temperatures, an
evanescent, lacy, reticulated red and/or blue cutaneous vascular pattern appears over most of the body surface. This vascular change represents an accentuated physiologic
vasomotor
Vasomotor refers to actions upon a blood vessel which alter its diameter. More specifically, it can refer to vasodilator action and vasoconstrictor action.
Control Sympathetic innervation
Sympathetic nerve fibers travel around the tunica media ...
response that disappears with increasing age, although it is sometimes discernible even in older children. It is also seen in
cardiogenic shock
Cardiogenic shock is a medical emergency resulting from inadequate blood flow to the body's organs due to the dysfunction of the heart. Signs of inadequate blood flow include low urine production (<30 mL/hour), cool arms and legs, and decreased ...
.
Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita is clinically similar, but the lesions are more intense, may be segmental, are persistent, and may be associated with loss of dermal tissue, epidermal atrophy and ulceration.
In decompression sickness
Cutis marmorata also occurs in
decompression sickness
Decompression sickness (DCS; also called divers' disease, the bends, aerobullosis, and caisson disease) is a medical condition caused by dissolved gases emerging from Solution (chemistry), solution as bubbles inside the body tissues during D ...
(DCS). Although it is considered Type I DCS, which is non-neurological, it is typically treated as if the patient has the more severe Type II DCS. This is because past experience in diving medicine has shown that patients initially presented with only this symptom have a high likelihood of progression to neurological, Type II, DCS without prompt treatment.
[{{cite manual , author = U.S. Navy Supervisor of Diving , title = U.S. Navy Diving Manual , version = SS521-AG-PRO-010, revision 6 , year = 2008 , publisher = U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command , url = http://supsalv.org/pdf/DiveMan_rev6.pdf , format = PDF , accessdate = 28 July 2014 , volume = 5 , pages = 20–25 , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110305032723/http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/DiveMan_rev6.pdf , archive-date = 5 March 2011 , url-status = dead] The marbling does not resolve until few days after treatment, but any
pruritus
An itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes a strong desire or reflex to scratch. Itches have resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itches have many similarities to pain, and while both ...
(itching) will likely disappear upon initial recompression.
References
Skin conditions resulting from physical factors