Rowell syndrome: Case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Rowell syndrome is a rare disease which consists of lesions of lupus erythematosus and erythema multiforme in patients with a characteristic immunological pattern, given by the presence of positive antinuclear antibodies in a mottled pattern and the absence of infectious and/or pharmacologic triggers. We present a case of a 23-year-old woman with a 4-year history of recurrent episodes of vesicles and blisters, of soft consistency and erythematous base on upper and lower limbs, affecting the oral and nasal mucosa; associated with chilblains, Raynaud's phenomenon, ulcers in oral and nasal mucosa and polyarthralgia; skin biopsy reported erythema multiforme, with negative direct immunofluorescence and positive speckled pattern antinuclear antibodies, findings that fulfil the diagnostic criteria of Zeitouni et al. (2000) and Torchia et al. (2012) for the diagnosis of Rowell's syndrome.