Erythema gyratum repens-like psoriasis

A 28-year-old man was admitted to our department for investigation in 1992. He presented with a red, scaly, centrifugally spreading eruption, which had appeared in 1990, beginning on the neck and thorax, and later extending to the trunk and limbs. The cutaneous lesions, located mainly on the trunk and proximal upper limbs, were arranged in rings, with a slightly raised prominent scaling edge (Fig. 1a). The characteristic feature was the presence of rings or waves within already existing rings, whereas the central part was flattened, with the texture of normal skin. The concentric figurate lesions resembled a wood grain pattern (Fig. 1b). The clinical picture was strikingly similar to tinea imbricata; there was, however, no itching, and repeated mycologic studies did not disclose Trichophyton concentricum. The histology was not characteristic. The epidermis, which was slightly edematous, was covered with a heavy crust. In the dermis, a sparse inflammatory infiltrate, somewhat more pronounced in the subpapillary areas, was composed of lymphocytes with some eosinophils. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and other stains for mycotic infection were negative. The general condition was not affected and laboratory studies did not show any abnormalities, except for low serum protein (5.1 g/L) and decreased gamma globulins (10.5%). Cell-mediated immunity was preserved. Immunofluorescence studies (direct and indirect) were negative. In spite of repeatedly negative mycotic examinations and due to the striking similarity to tinea imbricata, we applied various antimycotic therapies (terbinafine, itraconazole), with no effect. The figurate pattern, with normal skin in between, altered from day to day, while new concentric rings appeared within the cleared skin. The migrating rate was about 2-3 cm per 2 weeks. The patient had undergone a thorough search for internal malignancy. During the follow-up period of 1992-98, cutaneous involvement slowly became almost generalized (1996), and the confluent lesions formed large plaques, but still with pronounced concentric rings. Transitional blood eosinophilia (27% in 1993 and 11% in 1996) regressed with no therapy. Since 1995, antibodies to HBs and HBc have been present with no clinical symptoms of liver disease. The blood proteins increased to 7.0 g/L, and gamma globulins to 17.2% (normal). The histology, studied repeatedly, started to display some signs of psoriasis from 1996 and, in 1998, was already consistent with the disease (Fig. 2). REPUVA (0.8 mg/kg acitretin and UVA 0.8 J/cm(2)) was applied for 2 weeks before the patient interrupted the therapy. In spite of this, there was further improvement and, in 1999, the patient was almost free of lesions with some abortive rings left. From time to time, single vesicles appeared within the elevated borders of the rings. The histology of such vesicles was consistent with abortive pustular psoriasis (Fig. 3).