Pyoderma gangrenosum--a literature review

Pyoderma gangrenosum is an ulcerative skin disorder with typical clinical characteristics. Histologic and laboratory findings are nonspecific. Pyoderma gangrenosum is associated with internal disorders including inflammatory bowel disease, paraproteinemias, leukemias, and arthritis. The pathogenesis of pyoderma gangrenosum is unknown, although a partial defect of cell-mediated immunity may exist. Treatment includes bedrest, local care, sulfonamides, sulfones, and corticosteroids.

Recurrent pyoderma gangrenosum and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia

Pyoderma gangrenosum has been associated with myelogenous leukemia and plasma cell dyscrasia. When associated with leukemia, pyoderma gangrenosum often has a distinctive clinical presentation with an advancing bullous margin. The pathogenesis of this disorder is unknown, although defective immune mechanisms may be operative. The occurrence of pyoderma gangrenosum and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia in the same patient has now been reported sufficiently to make it a recognized association.

New look at pyoderma gangrenosum

Pyoderma gangrenosum cannot be viewed simply as "an ulcer with undermined bluish borders," since this description recognizes only one stage of the evolving process. Patients with this disorder often have cutaneous lesions including papules, pustules, and plaques that evolve and resolve without ever passing through an ulcerative stage. Moreover, such patients frequently have a variety of internal inflammatory and ulcerative disorders. The nature of these disorders as well as the increasing evidence of grossly altered immunity in pyoderma gangrenosum is also presented.

Pyoderma gangrenosum complicating Crohn's disease

Of the many acknowledged systemic complications of inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, iritis and erythema nodosum are observed most commonly and considered parts of the natural history. Pyoderma gangrenosum is a more ominous, less common but similarly associated complication that classically occurs in the course of ulcerative colitis. Its rarity in Crohn's disease stimulated the following report.

Pyoderma gangrenosum in Crohn's disease: report of a case

A case of pyoderma gangrenosum of the abdominal wall occurring in a patient with histologically proven Crohn's disease of the colon is described. An aggressive surgical approach (wide excision with delayed skin grafting) resulted in rapid healing of the abdominal wall. Subsequent colectomy through the previously involved abdominal site was accomplished without complication.

Clofazimine. A new agent for the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum

Eight patients had pyoderma gangrenosum. They were given a phendimetrazine tartrate derivative, clofazimine (Lamprene [Britain]), which is a chemotherapeutic agent used mainly in certain mycobacterial infections and which also has phagocytosis-enhancing properties. The effect of this drug was remarkably good, with rapid healing of the lesions commencing 3 to 14 days after treatment was started. The mechanism for the effect of clofazimine in pyoderma gangrenosum is not known.

Pyoderma gangrenosum in immunosuppressed patients

Two cases with pyoderma gangrenosum are presented. The course, in both cases, suggested that immunosuppressive therapy may play an etiological role in the disease. The first was a kidney recipient receiving prednisone and azathioprine and the second, a patient with pemphigus vulgaris who was treated with prednisone and methotrexate.

Pyoderma gangrenosum with Koebner effect and Mondor's disease in the same patient

Case description: a 34-year-old female with the constellation of bullous pyoderma gangrenosum, Mondor’s disease, Koebner phenomenon and pleuropneumonia. Steroid therapy was successful.

"Streaking leukocyte factor," arthritis, and pyoderma gangrenosum

A 14-year-old boy with a 12-year history of episodes of sterile pyarthrosis and cutaneous inflammation and ulceration was found to possess a serum factor which enhanced the random migration of leukocytes in vitro. The serum factor was isolated by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and found to have a molecular weight of approximately 160,000. This partially purified principle enhanced the random migration of purified normal human neutrophils or mononuclear leukocytes by up to 200% without influencing chemotaxis. Trauma or other stimuli may lead to an accumulation of this serum factor in some tissues of the patient with resultant excessive leukocyte influx and heightened local activity of the leukocytes in the inflammatory exudate.

Pyoderma Gangrenosum and rheumatoid arthritis

Two patients had pyoderma gangrenosum and rheumatoid arthritis. Biopsy specimens of the cutaneous ulcers in the patients showed a necrotizing vasculitis. Complement (C3) and immunoglobulins were not detected in the skin lesions. There was no important impairment of cell-mediated immunity observed.

Pyoderma gangrenosum with chronic myeloid leukaemia

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