title: Erythrophagocytosis in the skin: case report.
abstract: A 68-year-old male with a myelodysplastic syndrome developed a bulla on his right thigh. A skin biopsy revealed a subepidermal cleavage containing fibrin and a mononuclear cell infiltrate exhibiting prominent erythrophagocytosis. Erythrophagocytosis by mononuclear cells was present, to a lesser extent, throughout the dermis and in the subcutis. Immunoperoxidase studies with anti-lysozyme and anti-alpha-l-chymotrypsin confirmed the histiocytic nature of the phagocytic cells. Only a few prior reports of cutaneous erythrophagocytosis exist in the literature. In contrast to the generally grave clinical manifestations of the patients described in previous publications documenting erythrophagocytosis, this patient lacked a concomitant hematologic deterioration or serious systemic illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Farmer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*