A bullous neutrophilic dermatosis in a patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis and monoclonal IgA gammopathy

S2k guidelines (consensus statement) for diagnosis and therapy of dermatitis herpetiformis initiated by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV)

INTRODUCTION

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a chronic, pruritic, gluten-induced skin disorder characterized by subepidermal granular IgA deposition and a variable degree of enteropathy identical to that seen in coeliac disease. So far, there has been no European consensus about the management of DH.

METHODS

The guidelines were created by small subgroups of a guideline committee consisting of 26 specialists from various medical fields and one patients' representative. The members of the committee then discussed the guidelines and voted for the final version at two consensus meetings. The guidelines were developed under the support of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) and in collaboration with the European Dermatology Forum (EDF).

RESULTS

The guidelines summarize evidence-based and expert-based recommendations (S2 level) for the management of DH (see Appendix).

CONCLUSION

These guidelines will improve the quality of management of DH and support dermatologists in their diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.

Rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis

Rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis is a rare extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis, both seropositive and seronegative for rheumatoid factor. The condition most often presents as symmetric erythematous papules, nodules, plaques, and urticaria-like lesions in patients with severe, long-lasting rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of a 65-year-old man with well-controlled rheumatoid arthritis, who developed rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis on the right lower leg. The biopsy of skin lesions revealed an intense, neutrophilic dermal infiltrate, microabscesses, and leukocytoclasis without vasculitis. The patient responded well to pulses of intravenous methylprednisolone. We present this patient due to the rarity of the disease and atypical unilateral manifestation involving the flexural surfaces of the lower leg.

Acral vesicles and bullae in a patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis

We present the case of a 56-year-old black woman with rheumatoid arthritis who developed worsening fatigue, fever, weight loss, and a vesiculobullous skin eruption while being treated with certolizumab pegol for her arthritis. Microscopic findings confirmed the diagnosis of a neutrophilic dermatosis.

[Pyoderma gangrenosum revealing colonic diverticulitis: Two cases]

BACKGROUND

The association of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) with colonic diverticulitis infection (DI) is relatively unknown. Herein, we describe two cases of PG with full recovery after colonic surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Case 1: an 83-year-old man presented with lesions on his legs that had been present for several weeks, and a diagnosis of PG was confirmed histologically. Abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) performed on account of biological inflammatory syndrome revealed DI complicated by abscesses. Following the failure of two different antibiotic regimens, sigmoidectomy was performed. Postoperatively, the skin lesions healed without local or systemic corticosteroids. Case 2: a 63-year-old woman presented PG resistant to local and systemic corticosteroids and dapsone for several months. A particularly severe flare was accompanied by abdominal pain and inflammatory syndrome. CT revealed perforated sigmoid DI. Sigmoidectomy was performed after failure of drug therapy. The patient's PG subsequently improved and had disappeared without recurrence at 24months.

DISCUSSION

Both of these cases of PG revealed DI. The hypothesis is that DI constituted a source of colonic inflammation, sending out bacterial antigenic stimuli that resulted in PG through deposition of circulating immune complexes. Removal of this inflammatory source appears to have enabled healing of PG.

CONCLUSION

DI must be added to the list of systemic diseases associated with PG. In the case of isolated PG, CT may be used to detect asymptomatic DI. Early diagnosis could prevent serious gastrointestinal complications.

Management of neutrophilic dermatoses

Neutrophilic dermatoses, including Sweet's syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, and rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis, are inflammatory conditions of the skin often associated with underlying systemic disease. These are characterized by the accumulation of neutrophils in the skin. The associated conditions, potential for systemic neutrophilic infiltration, and therapeutic management of these disorders can be similar. Sweet's syndrome can often be effectively treated with a brief course of systemic corticosteroids. Pyoderma gangrenosum, however, can be recurrent, and early initiation of a steroid-sparing agent is prudent. Second-line treatment for both of these conditions includes medications affecting neutrophil function, in addition to immunosuppressant medications.

Rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatosis with tense blister formation: a case report and review of the literature

We report a 78-year-old woman with rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatosis (RND) presenting with tense blisters; an extremely rare manifestation of this condition. Systemic corticosteroid was of limited efficacy, while dapsone was effective. A literature review of four similar cases showed that tense blisters in this type of RND tended to appear on the lower extremities of aged, female rheumatoid arthritis patients. Of note, half of the cases were resistant to corticosteroids, as anti-neutrophil agents are reported to be effective. Accordingly, it is important to recognise this unusual manifestation for the timely initiation of appropriate therapy.

Falsely decreased HbA1c in a type 2 diabetic patient treated with dapsone

Glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is an important indicator of glycemic control. The current recommendation for glycemic control based on HbA1c values has been widely accepted. However, HbA1c values depend on the lifespan of erythrocytes and the assay methods used. Here, we report the case of a patient with type 2 diabetes with unusual falling of HbA1c due to interference from dapsone treatment for leukocytoclastic vasculitis. He was a 52-year-old man, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus 5 years previously and who had been treated in our hospital in the past 3 years. Glycemia was controlled by sulfonylurea and metformin. During the 3-years follow-up period, HbA1c dropped significantly during the addition of dapsone treatment, although plasma glucose levels remained stable. HbA1c levels were raised after discontinuation of dapsone. With rechallenge of dapsone usage, HbA1c decreased again. We conclude that dapsone may be the cause of artificially low HbA1c. Other measurements to monitor glycemic control should be considered when dapsone is used for the treatment of concurrent disorders, such as autoimmune disease and pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.

Sweet's syndrome in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome and lymph node tuberculosis

Sweet's syndrome (SS) is an acute neutrophilic dermatosis characterised by abrupt onset of fever, leukocytosis and cutaneous eruption, with dermal neutrophilia on skin biopsy. Most cases are idiopathic but SS can be associated with various affections, especially neoplastic, inflammatory and infectious diseases. The authors report the case of an SS occurring in a patient with a known rheumatoid arthritis associated with a secondary Sjögren's syndrome, with incidental finding of concurrent lymph node tuberculosis. In case of SS, an associated disease (malignant, inflammatory or infectious diseases) must imperatively be searched for, knowing that two or more of these affections can coexist.

Cutaneous manifestations associated with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis presents various cutaneous manifestations, either specific or nonspecific skin features, which are induced by the activation of inflammatory cells (neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages), vasculopathy, vasculitis, acral deformity, drugs, and so on. These include (1) specific findings, (2) findings due to vascular impairment, (3) findings due to immune dysfunction, (4) characteristic neutrophilic conditions, and (5) miscellaneous conditions. On the other hand, some of the specific manifestations show common histopathological features such as palisading granulomas with necrobiosis. It is important to recognize the common and/or uncommon skin conditions of RA for all clinicians associated with RA therapy.