Necrobiosis lipoidica of the breast associated with Crohn's disease: a case report

• Published in: Journal of medical case reports Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Kelati, Awatef, Durupt, François, Balme, Brigitte
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 03-01-2023; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Breast; Case Report; Crohn disease; Crohn Disease - complications; Crohn Disease - pathology; Crohn's disease; Dextrose; Female; Glucose; Glucose Intolerance - complications; Glucose Intolerance - pathology; Humans; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Necrobiosis lipoidica; Necrobiosis Lipoidica - complications; Necrobiosis Lipoidica - diagnosis; Necrobiosis Lipoidica - pathology; Skin; Skin - pathology; Skin Diseases - pathology; Necrobiosis lipoidica; Breast; Crohn disease; Case report
• ISSN: 1752-1947; 1752-1947
• DOI: 10.1186/s13256-022-03698-9

Necrobiosis lipoidica located to the breast; without evidence of glucose intolerance, is extremely rare, and its association to Crohn's disease is not usual.
We report an interesting case of an association of necrobiosis lipoidica of the breast and Crohn's disease in a 54-year-old Moroccan woman. Skin necrobiotic changes are a characteristic feature in necrobiosis lipoidica, but they are exceptional in metastatic Crohn's disease, since there are only three published cases of necrobiotic skin lesions on the lower leg resembling erythema nodosum in metastatic Crohn's disease.
On the basis of this rare observation, necrobiosis lipoidica without evidence of glucose intolerance should be recognized as a possible cutaneous manifestation or association of Crohn's disease.