Disseminated superficial porokeratosis in a patient with chronic liver disease.
A 55-year-old male suffering from liver cirrhosis presented with diffuse annular hyperkeratotic papules of abrupt onset on the trunk and extremities. Histopathologic examination revealed cornoid lamella and eosinophilic spongiosis. He did not receive any medications other than cephalosporin for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. A review of the literature revealed that three cases developed porokeratosis when their liver function declined and that, in one case, the porokeratosis disappeared spontaneously with liver transplantation. Although the precise mechanism is unclear, there is evidence demonstrating immunoincompetence in cirrhosis. Even though we did not perform immunologic studies or exclude the possibility of drug-induced porokeratosis in our case, it is conceivable that porokeratosis can be triggered by immunosuppression due to liver cirrhosis per se.
Park
B S
BS
Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Moon
S E
SE
Kim
J A
JA
D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017499:Porokeratosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology