Neutrophilic dermatoses in a patient with collagenous colitis

Abstract

We report the case of a 75-year old woman with collagenous colitis who presented with erythematous and edematous plaques on the periorbital and eyelid regions, accompanied by oral ulcers. Histopathology showed a dermal neutrophilic infiltrate plus mild septal and lobular panniculitis with lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils. Five years earlier she had presented a flare of papules and vesicles on the trunk, together with oral ulcers; a skin biopsy revealed a neutrophilic dermal infiltrate and Sweet’s syndrome was diagnosed. Both the neutrophilic panniculitis and the Sweet’s syndrome were accompanied by fever, malaise and diarrhea. Cutaneous and intestinal symptoms disappeared with corticoid therapy. The two types of neutrophilic dermatoses that appeared in periods of colitis activity suggest that intestinal and cutaneous manifestations may be related.

Elevated Intraocular Pressure in Periorbital Sweet’s Syndrome

“…There are several reports of Sweet’s syndrome presenting in the orbit and in the periorbital tissues that relate to our case. 3–14 Jang et al 3 described a patient with orbital Sweet’s syndrome with presumed optic nerve compression that resulted in no light perception vision in the involved eye. In this case the patient’s intraocular pressure was within normal limits and there was a moderate cellulitis of the eyelids.…”