CLINICAL CASES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2000 August;135(4):475-9

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Scar sarcoidosis. Description of three cases

Vassilopoulou A., Gennari E., Betto P., Torregrossa F., Dall’Olmo A. *, Pezzato R. *, Danieli D. **

Ospedale Civile - Vicenza Divisione di Dermatologia * Divisione di Medicina ** Servizio di Anatomia Patologica

Scar sarcoidosis is characterized by purplish-red or violaceous lesions, which develop on longstanding cutaneous scars. Between 15 and 35% of patients with systemic sarcoidosis have skin lesions. Seldom skin is the exclusive localization of the disease. The cases of «scar sarcoidosis» occurring on preexisting cutaneous scars are reported. In the first two cases erythematous plaques appeared on the old scars, were the first clinical sign of sarcoidosis. In the third case nodular lesions developed in scars and in normal skin, and were the only localisation of the disease. Histological examination showed non caseous epithelioid cell tubercles in the reticular dermis. “Scar sarcoidosis” is a disease characterized by unpredictable clinical onset and evolution; the importance of accurate staging and follow-up of the patient for the early diagnosis of systemic disease is emphasized.