title: Granuloma annulare in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infections.
abstract: We present four cases of granuloma annulare occurring in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These patients had either an extensive localized form or generalized granuloma annulare. The patient with generalized granuloma annulare was clinically reminiscent of the previously described papular eruption seen in HIV-positive patients. In several patients with the localized form, Kaposi's sarcoma was considered in the differential diagnosis. In all patients, however, the eruptions were surprisingly transient. The similarity of the localized form of granuloma annulare to Kaposi's sarcoma and the generalized micropapular form to the papular eruption of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome seen in HIV-positive patients illustrates the usefulness of skin biopsies in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghadially
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sibbald
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Haberman
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology