title: Pustular dermatosis of the scalp associated with autoimmune diseases.
abstract: A 36-year-old woman visited our hospital with a five month history of persistent pustulation, crusting, and alopecia on the vertex of the scalp. No pathological organisms were isolated from the lesions. Histological examination revealed non-specific changes of chronic inflammation with destroyed follicles. Antibiotic therapy produced no response, but steroid therapy was effective. From these observations, a diagnosis of erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp (EPDS), as described by Pye et al., was made. The patient also had Hashimoto's thyroiditis, autoimmune hepatitis, and Takayasu's aortitis. The laboratory studies revealed an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein 3+, hypergammaglobulinemia, and various auto-antibodies, suggesting the possibility of a pathogenesis common to both this dermatosis and the autoimmune diseases.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D012535:Scalp; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000150:complications; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications