Specific features of a rare form of disseminated necrobiosis lipoidica granuloma annulare type: a case report

Vol. 55 No. 4, 2014

ROMANIAN JOURNAL of MORPHOLOGY and EMBRYOLOGY

Simona Laura Ianosi, Cristina Tutunaru, Claudia Valentina Georgescu, Nicolae Gabriel Ianosi, Diana Monica Georgescu, Suzana Danoiu, Elena Carmen Niculescu, Carmen Daniela Neagoe

Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is a rare dermatosis that has been shown to precede the onset of diabetes mellitus in 15% of patients. It is more common in women; the average age of the onset is 30 years. Skin lesions of classic NL begin as a small papule, typically on the bilateral pretibial area. Progressively, these papules become indurated plaques with an atrophic, yellow center and multiple telangiectatic vessels, and brown-violaceous borders. We present the case of a 57-year-old male with type II diabetes mellitus from 2004, class II obesity, hepatosteatosis and metabolic disturbances who presents a disseminated eruption from 2010, formed by indurated plaques with flattened centers and a tendency of atrophy and raised, sharply demarcated, red-violaceous borders, having a variable diameter between 1.5 and 5 cm. The laboratory findings revealed elevated glucose levels between 250 and 300 mg%, high levels of transaminases and lipids. Diagnosis of disseminated necrobiosis lipoidica granuloma annulare-type was histopathologically confirmed. For the treatment, we have used topical corticosteroids and Tacrolimus 0.1% and systemic vasodilators. We consider this rare case interesting because has some peculiarities, as: disseminated lesions extend over the characteristic areas for necrobiosis lipoidica, the characteristic features of lesions similar to granuloma annulare, gender (male) and the onset of the disease over fifth decade.

Corresponding author: Nicolae Gabriel Ianosi, Lecturer, MD, PhD; e-mail: gianosi@hotmail.com

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