Concerned about a gradually worsening, itchy rash of 4 weeks' duration on his legs, an 82-year-old man sought medical evaluation. The patient had no drug allergies and denied a history of vascular disease. He stated that there had been no recent change in his routine and that he had not used a new laundry soap.

Both lower extremities showed dry, "crackled" skin with red fissures and slight scaling. A milder rash was found on the left side of the chest

Drs Vinod Patel and Paul A. James of the State University of New York at Buffalo diagnosed asteatotic eczema, or eczema craquele, which occurs in overly dry skin. Most often seen in elderly persons, the disorder is ...