Pyoderma gangrenosum with Marfan syndrome and Crohn’s disease: A rare association

Abstract

A 22-year-old man presented with multiple, painful ulcers on the thighs, legs, and face of 10-day duration and diarrhea and bleeding per rectum of 2-year duration. The ulcers were tender and had a peripheral violaceous border. General examination revealed tall stature, long extremities, kyphosis, arachnodactyly, and hyperextensible wrist and thumbs. The arm span was more than the height and the thumb sign and wrist sign were positive, diagnostic of Marfan syndrome. Skin biopsy from the edge of the ulcer showed infiltrates of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. A detailed evaluation ruled out other causes for skin ulceration and we made a diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum. Echocardiogram demonstrated mitral valve prolapse. Computed tomography of abdomen showed segmental mucosal thickening as skip lesions in the colon and rectum. Endoscopy showed chronic colitis with multiple punched out ulcers. Colonic biopsy showed noncaseating granulomas suggestive of Crohn’s disease. Although inflammatory bowel disease is a well-known association of pyoderma gangrenosum, we did not come across any previous reports of coexistence of pyoderma gangrenosum, Crohn’s disease, and Marfan syndrome.