Degos disease in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome,☆☆,

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Abstract

Malignant atrophic papulosis is a rare disorder characterized by pathognomonic cutaneous lesions that consist of infarctive thrombosis. Visceral involvement often occurs; the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system are most frequently involved. Malignant atrophic papulosis has not been previously described in an AIDS patient. We describe a 58-year-old homosexual man with AIDS who developed typical cutaneous lesions of malignant atrophic papulosis. No visceral involvement has been detected in 2 years. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1998;38:852-6.)

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CASE REPORT

For a 2-month period, a 58-year-old homosexual man had slightly painful elevated papules distributed symmetrically on the trunk, extensor aspects of the upper and lower extremities, and dorsum of the hands and palms.

Examination disclosed an emaciated man with hepatosplenomegaly and axillary and cervical lymphadenopathy. Cutaneous lesions consisted of 2 to 5 mm firm erythematous papules, with a porcelain-yellow center and a telangiectatic rim (Fig. 1).

. Clinical appearance of cutaneous lesions on

COMMENT

Several types of vasculitis, which can be classified in two broad categories, have been described in HIV-infected patients: systemic vasculitis, which includes polyarteritis nodosa-like disease and granulomatous angiitis, and cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 Seven cases of necrotizing vasculitis of the polyarteritis nodosa type have been reported in HIV-infected patients.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 In another three

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    This article is possible through an educational grant from Ortho Dermatological.

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