Granuloma multiforme: an uncommon differential for leprosy.

Granuloma multiforme (GM) is a chronic granulomatous skin condition which is clinically characterised by annular lesions mainly over sun-exposed areas and histologically by focal necrobiosis and histiocytic granulomas. Its significance lies in the fact that it can clinically resemble tuberculoid leprosy and hence it can be missed. Here, we report a case of GM from India in a 55-year-old female agriculturist, with multiple asymptomatic large annular rings of papules over the photo-distributed areas. Histopathology helps in confirming the diagnosis and in differentiating it from similar clinical and histologic mimics such as granuloma annulare, tuberculoid leprosy, interstitial granulomatous dermatitis or annular sarcoid. Though a high degree of suspicion is needed to diagnose GM, it should be considered as a differential for various annular conditions.

Borderline Tuberculoid Leprosy Masquerading as Granuloma Annulare: A Clinical and Histological Pitfall.

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an intracellular acid-fast bacillus that tends to infect the skin and peripheral nerves. Because of the wide array of cutaneous manifestation, diagnosis is not always straightforward, especially in nonendemic regions of the world such as the United States. CASE REPORT: The authors report an unusual case of borderline tuberculoid leprosy in an 80-year-old white woman from California. Clinical examination revealed multiple nonscaly annular plaques, with central clearing and absence of lesional anesthesia, distributed over the trunk and extremities initially clinically diagnosed as granuloma annulare (GA). After 2 years of unsuccessful treatment with topical corticosteroid, biopsy revealed a palisaded and interstitial granulomatous infiltrate with necrobiosis, without discrete granulomas, compatible with GA. However, the presence of perineural lymphocytes in the reticular dermis prompted a Fite stain, which revealed acid-fast bacilli within the Schwann cells of a small peripheral nerve, pathognomonic for leprosy. CONCLUSION: This is the first reported case of leprosy masquerading both clinically and histologically as GA. Dermatopathologists should be aware of the possibility of leprosy given the presence of perineural lymphocytes amidst any pattern of granulomatous infiltrate and obtain a Fite stain.

Granuloma anular generalizado y enfermedad de Hansen: presentación de un caso / Generalized annular granuloma and Hansen's disease: presentation of a Case

El granuloma anular es una dermatosis inflamatoria crónica, benigna, de etiología desconocida, generalmente autolimitada. En muchas ocasiones la lepra tuberculoide asemeja un granuloma anular y este siempre debe ser un diagnóstico diferencial a tener en cuenta. La relación entre el granuloma anular y la lepra aún no está muy clara, aunque pudiera estar relacionado con mecanismos inmunológicos desencadenados en el curso de ambas enfermedades. Por tales razones se presenta el caso de una paciente con manifestaciones cutáneas de un granuloma anular generalizado, cuyo comienzo fue concomitante con el noveno mes de tratamiento para la enfermedad de Hansen (forma clínica tuberculoide). Las principales manifestaciones cutáneas que presentaba eran lesiones eritematosas, papulosas y anulares, de tamaños predominantemente pequeño, formando grandes placas, localizadas en cuello, región superior de la espalda y miembros. Se detectaron las alteraciones histológicas propias de la enfermedad, lo que corroboró el diagnóstico planteado. Se presenta el caso porque,en la literatura consultada, esta enfermedad no está descrita frecuentemente en asociación con la enfermedad de Hansen(AU)

Annular Granuloma is benign chronic inflammatory dermatoses of unknown etiology, usually self-limited. In many cases tuberculoid leprosy resembles an Annular Granuloma and this should always be a differential diagnosis to be considered. The relationship between Annular Granuloma and Leprosy is not yet clear, although it may be related to immunological mechanisms triggered in the course of both diseases. For these reasons it is presented a case of a patient with cutaneous manifestations of annular generalized granuloma, whose onset was concomitant with the ninth month of treatment for Hansen's disease (tuberculoid clinical form). The main cutaneous manifestations presented were erythematous, papular and annular lesions, predominantly small in size, forming large plaques, located in the neck, upper region of the back and limbs. Histological alterations of the disease were detected, which corroborated the diagnosis. The case is presented because, in the consulted literature, this disease is not frequently described in association with Hansen's disease(AU)

[Annular elastolytic giant-cell granuloma]. / Granulome annulaire élastolytique à cellules géantes.

BACKGROUND: Annular elastolytic giant-cell granuloma (AEGCG) is a rare form of granulomatous dermatosis characterized by annular plaques with central atrophy and raised erythematous margins and is usually located on the facial and neck areas. It is characterized histologically by loss of elastic fibre and elastophagocytosis. We report a case of AEGCG. CASE REPORT: A 72-year-old man consulted for annular plaques, some of which were atrophic, and papules that had been present for 2 years. The lesions involved sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed skin. The biopsies showed granulomatous infiltrates and discrete elastophagocytosis. After ruling out various differential clinical and histological diagnoses, the patient was diagnosed with AEGCG. DISCUSSION: We report a case of AEGCG. Diagnosis was not easy. The differential diagnoses of this entity were discussed and we ruled out actinic granuloma, sarcoidosis, leprosy, and granuloma annulare. Our patient presented the classical annular variant combined with a papular variant. We report the first case involving response to isotretinoin.

Generalized granuloma annulare in a patient with myelocytic leukemia and chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Granuloma annulare is a granulomatous disorder of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, with different clinical types. Generalized granuloma annulare is a rarely encountered clinical entity. We describe a 60-year-old woman with a 4-month history of generalized annular lesions. She had a history of myelocytic leukemia and chronic hepatitis B virus infection. To date, both acute myelocytic leukemia and hepatitis B virus infection have been described independently in association with generalized granuloma annulare but have never been described together in association with generalized granuloma annulare. Probable etiological causes of granuloma annulare are discussed in our patient.

Granuloma multiforme: a report from India.

Granuloma multiforme (GM) is a reactive skin disorder of unknown etiology, characterized clinically by confluent annular lesions and histologically by focal necrobiosis and histiocytic granulomas. GM is significant because of its clinical resemblance to tuberculoid leprosy, with which it can be confused. Here, we report a case of granuloma multiforme from India in a 70-year-old male farmer, with multiple asymptomatic large annular rings of papules over the back and thighs on photodistributed sites. Histopathology helps to clinch the diagnosis and differentiate from similar clinical and histologic mimics such as granuloma annulare, tuberculoid leprosy, actinic granuloma and annular sarcoid. Nevertheless, a very high degree of suspicion is required to diagnose GM.

Actinic granuloma / ?

Ring-shaped inflammatory lesions sometimes develop in the abnormal, "elastotic" connective tissues of skin damaged by sun and heat. The lesions, which commence as papules and nodules, enlarge very slowly and may persist for years. Microscipical sections show that there is an infiltrate composed mainly of foreign-body giant cells, the cells being engaged in digesting and absorbing the abnormal elastotic fibers...