Acta Dermato-Venereologica 99-10CompleteContent | Page 36
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Ulceronecrotic Lesions in a Man with Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Quiz
Ferdinand TOBERER and Martin HARTMANN
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 440,
DE-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. E-mail: [email protected]
A 36-year-old man presented with a 10-month history of
painless ulceronecrotic lesions on his left upper arm and
right thigh. Clinical examination revealed an ulceration
measuring 4×4 cm, with a fibrinous base, crust-covered bor-
ders and a surrounding livid erythema, on his left upper arm
(Fig. 1a). The right thigh showed a necrotic papule covered
by a brownish crust (Fig. 1b). The patient had familial Medi-
terranean fever (homozygous M694V mutation), which was
treated with colchicine (1.5 mg/day). Laboratory analysis,
including blood count, metabolic panel, hepatitis B/C, EBV
and HIV serologies, was unremarkable. C-reactive protein
values (34.8 mg/l) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (32
mm/1 st h) were slightly elevated. A skin biopsy from the
Fig. 1. Clinical picture. (a) Left upper arm. (b) Right thigh.
arm was performed and revealed a dense dermal infiltrate
composed of histiocytes, lymphocytes, multinucleated giant
cells, plasma cells and neutrophils, forming tuberculoid and
suppurative granulomas (Fig. 2). Focally, vessels showed
signs of luminal obliteration and vasculitis.
What is your diagnosis? See next page for answer.
Fig. 2. Section of biopsy from the arm, showing a mixed dermal infiltrate
forming granulomas (haematoxylin-eosin stain; original magnification
×100).
QUIZ SECTION
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license. www.medicaljournals.se/acta
Journal Compilation © 2019 Acta Dermato-Venereologica.
doi: 10.2340/00015555-3232
Acta Derm Venereol 2019; 99: 941–942