English

Abstract

Pinkus first described Lichen nitidus a rare variety of dermatitis of unknown etiology in 1901. Its incidence was 0.034% in a study in blacks over a 25-years period. Various clinical variants of lichen nitidus includeslinear, confluent, vesicular, haemorrhagic, spinous follicular, perforating, generalised, palmar and plantar. We hereby report a rare case of linear Lichen nitidus in a 17-year-old male presented with skin lesions spreading in linear fashion from anterior abdomen to back since 2 months. On examination, round, flat-topped, shiny papules, 2 to 3 mm in diameter presented over anterior abdomen wall extending towards back. Skin biopsy confirmed diagnosis of linear Lichen nitidus. Sections revealed vacuolar alternation of basal cell layer, diminished granular layer along with mixed-cell granulomatous infiltrate closely attached to the lower surface of the epidermis and confined to widened dermal papillae. The infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and epithelioid histiocytes. At places, rete ridges bend downward and inward and seem to clutch the infiltrate in the manner of “claw clutching a ball”. Differential diagnosis of lichen striatus and lichen planus was ruled out on histopathology. Patient responded to treatment.