[Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa and Crohn's disease: An association not to be ignored]. / Périartérite noueuse cutanée et maladie de Crohn : une association à ne pas méconnaître.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (CPAN) is an entity which needs to be acknowledged, since it can have a spontaneously adverse outcome. We report two cases of CPAN associated with Crohn's disease. CASE REPORTS The first patient was suffering from Crohn's disease for 9 years when she was referred for a necrotic toe. A diagnosis of necrotizing angeitis was confirmed by histological examination of a skin biopsy. Despite systemic corticosteroids, the lesions became more severe, requiring immunosuppressive treatment. The second patient was a female patient referred with forefoot ischemia. Cutaneous histology confirmed the diagnosis of necrotizing angeitis that responded favourably to corticosteroid treatment. The patient had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease 2 months previously. CONCLUSION: CPAN differed from systemic PAN by the absence of visceral involvement. Its association with Crohn's disease, although uncommon, must be recognized as it affects treatment and monitoring.