title: Pyoderma gangrenosum--a review of 24 cases observed over 10 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a disorder, included in the spectrum of neutrophilic and auto-inflammatory dermatoses, whose clinical aspects and outcome we intend to characterize.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study based on files of patients diagnosed during a 10-year period (2000-2009), we evaluated demographic data, anatomic locations, number of lesions, clinical variants, associated diseases, treatment regimens, healing time, and recurrence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 24 patients were included, 19 women and five men (F/M = 3.8/1), aged between 17 and 89 years (mean 58.3 ± 24.6 years) with a diagnosis of PG. Lesions, single in 15 patients (62.5%) and multiple in nine (37.5%), were localized in the lower limbs in 19 patients (79.2%), upper limbs (4), abdomen (4), face (2) and genital area (1). Clinical variants observed were ulcerative (17 patients), pustular (4), bullous (2) and superficial granulomatous (1). Associated systemic diseases were observed in 18 patients (75%), gastrointestinal in seven patients (29.2%), hematological in seven (25%), autoimmune inflammatory in three (12%), and solid tumors in two (8.3%). Systemic steroids were used in the treatment, either alone in 10 patients (41.7%) or combined with cyclosporine in eight (33.3%). Complete healing was achieved in 20 patients, on average five months after diagnosis, but lesions recurred one or more times in four patients (16.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As reported in the literature, PG is a rare disorder, more common in females, frequently associated with systemic disease, which compromises the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal. neidepereira@sapo.pt
authors.forename: Neide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Maria Manuel
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brites
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonçalo
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tellechea
authors.forename: Amérido
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D015897:Comorbidity; D020405:Dermis / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D017511:Pyoderma Gangrenosum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult