Ulcerative lichen planus of the sole with rheumatoid arthritis

Ulcerative lichen planus associated with Sjögren's syndrome

Ulcerative lichen planus is a rare variant of lichen planus that is characterized by ulcerations of the feet and toes that are accompanied by toenail loss. However, the nail, oral mucosa, genital mucosa and the scalp are also sometimes affected by ulcerative lichen planus. Several authors have drawn attention to the association of ulcerative lichen planus and autoimmune diseases. We report a patient who had ulcerative lichen planus, with ulcerative erythema on the soles and palms, nail dystrophy and oral lesions, as well as Sjögren's syndrome; she was successfully treated with etretinate.

Inflammatory ulcers

Skin ulcerations may develop as a manifestation of a variety of different diseases or may result from some nondisease phenomena. Inflammatory ulcers refer specifically to those ulcerations in which inflammation is the primary pathologic process resulting in lesion formation; that is, inflammation is the cause rather than the consequence of the ulcer. This review will consider several types of inflammatory ulcers that the clinician may encounter in his or her practice.

Palmoplantar lichen planus presenting with vesicle-like papules

Palmoplantar lichen planus is a rare, localized variant of the disease that may create difficulty in diagnosis if it is present as an isolated finding. Although several morphological patterns may be seen, plaques or small papules with compact hyperkeratosis are usually observed. We present a 25-year-old woman with a one-month history of slightly pruritic, red papules on her palms and soles. Dermatologic examination revealed numerous, asymptomatic, unscaly, red papules on her palms and soles, some of them resembling vesicles and white reticulate plaques on both sides of the buccal mucosa. The diagnosis was established by the typical histopathological features of lichen planus. Although resistant to topical corticosteroids, she responded well to systemic corticosteroid therapy, and no recurrence was observed during the follow-up period of one year.