Eosinophilic Pustular Folliculitis: a Clinico-Pathologic Study in Korea / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF) is a rare chronic disease of unknown cause with pruritic papulopustular lesions and a prominent eosinophilic infiltrate. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was aimed at evaluating the clinical and histopathological features of EPF. METHODS: The hospital charts and histopathologic slides of 8 patients with EPF diagnosed at Asan Medical Center from 1989 to 1998 were reviewed. We also reviewed the previously published reports of 10 patients with EPF in Korea. RESULTS: Nine male and nine female patients were enrolled in this study. The mean age at diagnosis of EPF was 26 years in men and 27 years in women. All the patients complained of mild to severe pruritus. EPF was presented with follicular papules or pustules, except 2 patients, who presented with erythematous plaques free of papules or pustules. All the patients showed the typical histopathological findings of EPF. Laboratory investigation showed hypereosinophilia in 73% of patients (11/15). The levels of blood eosinophils tended to decrease as cutaneous lesions resolved. EPF was improved with dapsone in 12 patients and the rest were treated with topical or systemic steroid or antihistamines. CONCLUSION: EPF may be more common in Korea than can be suspected. Because EPF showed characteristic histopathological findings and EPF responds well to dapsone, the knowledge with this disease may be important to diagnose and treat it.