ABSTRACT
Dermatofibroma is a fibrohistiocytic tumor of the skin that commonly occurs as a solitary lesion on the lower extremities of young women. Multiple eruptive dermatofibromas (MEDFs), defined as the presence of 5 to 8 dermatofibromas appearing within a period of 4 months, are rare, and the etiology of MEDFs remains unknown. However, MEDFs are frequently thought to be associated with altered immunity, such as autoimmune diseases and immunosuppression. It is unclear why MEDFs occur in association with these conditions, but this relationship may suggest that MEDFs are the result of an abortive immunoreactive process. We herein describe a middle-aged woman who developed multiple dermatofibroma. She had myasthenia gravis for 8 years, and developed MEDFs after undergoing oral corticosteroid treatment (245 mg/week) for 3 months. Therefore, our case suggests that the use of immunosuppressants is a more dominant factor for the development of MEDFs than underlying autoimmune diseases.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Autoimmune Diseases , Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous , Immunosuppression Therapy , Immunosuppressive Agents , Lower Extremity , Myasthenia Gravis , SkinABSTRACT
Dermatofibromas are common benign fibrohistiocytic tumors that occur primarily as a solitary lesion, while multiple eruptive dermatofibromas (MEDFs) are a rare presentation of dermatofibromas and MEDFs are frequently associated with altered immunity, such as autoimmune diseases and immunosuppression. It is still unclear why MEDFs occur in association with these conditions, but this relationship may suggest that MEDFs are the result of an abortive immunoreactive process. We herein report on a case of MEDF that developed in a patient who was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Subject(s)
Humans , Autoimmune Diseases , Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous , Immunosuppression Therapy , Lupus Erythematosus, SystemicABSTRACT
Solitary dermatofibroma shows a common occurrence, especially on the lower limbs of young women, while multiple eruptive dermatofibromas are rare and are thought to be associated with altered immunity, such as autoimmune diseases and immunosuppression. We report a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) who developed multiple, eruptive dermatofibromas while she was being treated with systemic corticosteroid. We also review literature on the previously reported cases of multiple eruptive dermatofibromas associated with SLE.