Pyoderma gangrenosum associated with hidradenitis suppurativa

• Published in: Clinical and experimental dermatology Vol. 30; no. 6; pp. 669 - 671
• Main Authors: Ah-Weng, A., Langtry, J. A. A., Velangi, S., Evans, C. D., Douglas, W. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01-11-2005; Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cyclophosphamide - therapeutic use; Cyclosporine - therapeutic use; Dermatologic Agents - therapeutic use; Dermatology; Female; Hidradenitis Suppurativa - complications; Hidradenitis Suppurativa - drug therapy; Humans; Immunoglobulins - therapeutic use; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pyoderma Gangrenosum - complications; Pyoderma Gangrenosum - drug therapy; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Case study; Human; Skin disease; Association; Neutrophilic dermatosis; Hidradenitis suppurativa; Dermatology; Sweat gland disease; Pyoderma gangrenosum
• ISSN: 0307-6938; 1365-2230
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2005.01897.x

Summary
Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is associated with a number of systemic diseases. PG in association with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has been rarely reported. We describe six patients (three men, three women; aged 35–51 years), who developed PG on a background of HS. The onset of PG occurred only after HS had been present for at least two decades. No relationship in disease activity between the two conditions was observed. Three patients described previous severe adolescent acne vulgaris, one had concurrent systemic lupus erythematosus and another had chronic iron‐deficiency anaemia. The course of PG was severe and refractory in four patients, who required treatment including high‐dose oral corticosteroids, ciclosporin, intravenous immunoglobulin and intravenous cyclophosphamide.