A Case of Pyoderma Gangrenosum of the Face Associated with Ulcerative Colitis

ABSTRACT

Ulcerative colitis is associated with various extra-intestinal manifestations, including rheumatic, dermatologic, ophthalmologic, biliary, and hematologic manifestations. Cutaneous findings are common extra-intestinal manifestations of ulcerative colitis, occurring in 10-20% of patients. Cutaneous manifestations include erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum, aphthous stomatitis, and acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis. Treatments for these cutaneous manifestations include corticosteroids, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, and infliximab. A 48-year-old male presented with an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis associated with multiple skin lesions on his face, thumbs, thighs, and feet. The final impression was neutrophilic folliculitis, which is an early form of pyoderma gangrenosum. The patient's skin lesions and colitis both improved with corticosteroids. There are rare published case reports of ulcerative colitis exacerbations associated with pyoderma gangrenosum that initiated as neutrophilic folliculitis of the face. This case report includes a review of the literature.