[Chronic recurrent annular neutrophilic dermatosis]. / Dermatose neutrophilique annulaire récurrente chronique.

BACKGROUND: Chronic recurrent annular neutrophilic dermatosis (CRAND) is a rare form of neutrophilic dermatosis characterised by chronic annular progression, histological impairment similar to that seen in Sweet's syndrome and the absence of association with generalised signs, abnormal laboratory values or underlying systemic disease. Herein we report two new cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Case no 1. A 41-year-old woman had presented with four annular lesions on the forearms and neckline which she had had for one year. Examination revealed a 5-cm annular lesion on the right forearm and four similar adjacent lesions. The condition spontaneously resolved after 4 weeks. Treatment with hydroxychloroquine 400mg per day for three months proved ineffective in preventing a further episode. However, following treatment with colchicine at a daily dose of 1mg for two months, no further relapses in the rash occurred over a 10-year observation period. Case no 2. A 38-year-old woman consulted for recurrent annular erythema confined to the legs. Examination showed the presence of a red papular annular lesion on the right leg, encircling a yellowish macule with a central ring of fine scale; the lesion had been present for three weeks. Treatment with colchicine was initiated but the patient was lost to follow-up. In both cases, histological examination was evocative of Sweet's syndrome but no inflammatory or neutrophilic syndrome and no underlying systemic disease were demonstrated. DISCUSSION: CRAND presents as a stereotypical and benign form of neutrophilic dermatosis. A diagnosis of chronic recurrent annular dermatosis with gyrate progression should be considered in the absence of general signs, neutrophilia or underlying systemic disease.

Associated Pyoderma Gangrenosum, Erythema Elevatum Diutinum, and Chronic Recurrent Annular Dermatosis: The Neutrophilic Disease Spectrum.

Neutrophilic dermatoses (ND) refer to a group of skin diseases characterized histologically by a cutaneous infiltrate of mature polymorphonuclear cells without an identifiable cause. Previously described as autonomous, these clinically distinct entities are included in the spectrum of neutrophilic disease due to the existence of overlapping forms, as described in our observation. Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a rare dermatosis characterized by reddish-violaceous to browning papulonodular and plaques and belongs to the spectrum of cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Chronic recurrent annular neutrophilic dermatosis (CRAND) is an exceptional neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by chronic annular lesions and the absence of generalized signs or hematological abnormalities. Histological features are similar to those seen in Sweet's syndrome. A 55-year-old woman with a history of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) presented successively with two rare forms of ND, namely, EED and CRAND. There were no clinical or paraclinical arguments for any underlying systemic disease. Treatment with azathioprine 100 mg/day and topical steroids led to a total regression of lesions after a nine-month follow-up. Our observation is important because it reports two rare entities, CRAND and EED. Their occurrence in a single patient with a history of PG illustrates the concept of "neutrophilic disease" reported in the 1990s.