Reticular Erythematous Mucinosis in an African Woman with HIV Infection: Case Report and Literature Review

Reticular erythematous mucinosis is a rare and persistent form of primary idiopathic mucinosis, often referred to as plaque-like cutaneous mucinosis or midline mucinosis. It presents with reticulate patches or erythematous plaques with predilection for the anterior and posterior trunk. Affected patients are frequently asymptomatic. Pruritus or burning sensations were reported after exposure to the sun. The aetiology remains obscure; its pathogenesis is poorly understood, particularly in immunocompromised patients such as HIV-infected patients. The disease associations are not uniformly documented. Antimalarial agents significantly improve and shorten the course of the disease. We report a case of a 31-year-old African woman with underlying HIV infection who displayed the classical clinical and histological features of reticular erythematous mucinosis. This condition is rare among the HIV-infected patients, particularly in those of African descent, in whom lichen myxoedematosus/scleromyxoedema variants and acral persistent papular mucinoses were most frequently reported. The higher incidence of photosensitivity in HIV-infected individuals including the patients with skin of colour may play a potential role in reticular erythematous mucinosis. Its relationship with lupus erythematosus and photosensitivity in the context of HIV infection is discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of reticular erythematous mucinosis in an African HIV-infected patient. This case highlights the need for diagnostic awareness in cases presenting with erythematous plaques and patches in a net-like pattern developing on the midline and sun-exposed areas of the trunk.

Reticular erythematous mucinosis: Literature review and case report of a 24-year-old patient with systemic erythematosus lupus

Reticular erythematous mucinosis (REM) was first described 50 years ago, but only around 100 case reports in English have been published. Its relation with other inflammatory skin disorders is still being debated. We report a case of REM, including the clinical and histopathological findings. Also, a systematic review of 94 English-language reported cases is provided. The described criteria for clinical and histopathological diagnosis are highlighted in order to REM can be confidently diagnosed.

Reticular erythematous mucinosis

This article presents modern data related to the clinical picture, pathologic features and treatment options of reticular erythematous mucinosis (REM). There is an opinion that REM, lupus erythematosus tumidus and Jessner - Kanof lymphocytic infiltration of the skin are similar nosological forms.