Leper reactions simulating cutaneous vasculitis Report of 3 cases and literature review
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Luciophenomenon and necrotic erythema nodosum leprosum are two vasculonecrotic reactions that can mimic cutaneous vasculitis in leprosy. Although they can be distinguished through clinical and histopathological features, both are often used as synonyms. Lucio Phenomenon, a severe immunecomplex mediated skin reaction, is a necrotizing skin condition that occurs in patients with non-nodular or diffuse leprosy which occurs in patients with little or no resistance to infection. Vasculonecrotic reactions due to erythema nodosum occur in other forms of leprosy different from the diffuse form.
We present the case of 3 patients with lepromatous leprosy who presented vasculonecrotic reactions. The differential diagnosis between Lucio phenomenon and necrotic erythema nodosum leprosum is important since both entities have different treatments. In a patient with cutaneous vasculitic lesions, infectious etiologies including leprosy, should always be considered.
Downloads
References
(1) Gaschignard J, Grant Av, Thuc Nv, Orlova M, Cobat A, Huong NT, et al. Pauci- and Multibacillary Leprosy: Two Distinct, Genetically Neglected Diseases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis [internet]. el 24 de mayo de 2016 [citado el 27 de febrero de 2019];10(5). Disponible en: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4878860/
(2) Aldama A, Rivelli v, Aldama O, Ozecoski D, Gorostiaga G. Leprosy Today epidemiological Considerations of the National Hospital. Nac. diciembre de 2009;1(2):27–30.
(3) Misra DP, Parida JR, Chowdhury AC, Pani KC, Kumari N, Krishnani N, et al. Lepra Reaction with Lucio Phenomenon Mimicking Cuta- neous vasculitis. Case Rep immunol [internet]. 2014 [citado el 26 de febrero de 2019];2014. Disponible en: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4280809/
(4) Fogagnolo L, de Souza EM, Cintra ML, velho PENF. vasculone- crotic reactions in leprosy. Braz J infect Dis Off Publ Braz Soc infect Dis. 2007;11(3):378–82.
(5) Helmer KA, Fleischfresser i, Kucharski-Esmanhoto LD, Fillus Neto J, Santamaria JR. Fenômeno de Lúcio (eritema necrosante) na gestação. An Bras Dermatol. 2004;79(2):205–10.
(6) Moschella SL. The lepra reaction with necrotizing skin lesions. A report of six cases. - PubMed - NCBi [internet]. [citado el 28 de febrero de 2019]. Disponible en: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub- med/6026941
(7) Martino BD, Galeano G, Aldama A, Rodríguez M, Knopfelmacher O, et al. Reacciones vasculonecróticas en la lepra. Descripción de dos casos de fenómeno de Lucio. 2010;161-163.
(8) Aldama A, Wattiez v, Mendoza G. Fenómeno de Lucio. Comunicación de 14 casos. Piel. 2018;33(2):81–5.
(9) Benard G, Sakai-valente NY, Bianconcini Trindade MA. Concomitant lucio phenomenon and erythema nodosum in a leprosy patient: clues for their distinct pathogeneses. Am J Dermatopathol. 2009;31(3):288–92.
(10) Ranugha P, Chandrashekar L, Kumari R, Thappa DM, Badhe B. is it Lucio Phenomenon or Necrotic Erythema Nodosum Leprosum? Indian J Dermatol. 2013;58(2):160.
(11) Costa iMC, Kawano LB, Pereira CP, Nogueira LSC. Lucio’s phenomenon: a case report and review of the literature. Int J Dermatol. 2005;44(7):566–71.
(12) Salvi S, Chopra A. Leprosy in a rheumatology setting: a challenging mimic to expose. Clin Rheumatol. 2013;32(10):1557–63.
Copyright (c) 2019 Paraguayan Journal of Rheumatology

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.