Pigmented purpuric lichenoid dermatitis: its possible pathogenesis and report of a case.

Abstract

PIGMENTED purpuric lichenoid dermatitis has been comprehensively described by Gougerot and Blum, 1 Wise and Wolf, 2 Michelson and Laymon 3 and, recently, Thomas and Rooke. 4 It nevertheless remains a subject of considerable interest because of its resemblance to Schamberg's peculiar progressive pigmentary disease of the skin. Clinically, the lesions of pigmented purpuric lichenoid dermatitis are distinguished by their papular nature; these papules are purpuric or telangiectatic, round and smooth with a color range from light pink to reddish orange or russet. They are shiny, lichenoid, discrete and scattered over a pigmented background which is usually a residuum of previous purpuric attacks and are often arranged at the periphery of confluent patches. The location in cases reported to date has generally been confined to the lower extremities. REPORT OF CASE C. A. F., a man aged 39 born in the United States, was first seen by us in November