title: Morphoea with prominent plasma cell endoneuritis.
abstract: Morphoea (localized scleroderma) is a cutaneous inflammatory condition characterized by the development of indurated and discoloured plaques. The histological features of morphoea typically include a superficial and deep perivascular and periadnexal chronic inflammatory infiltrate associated with variable degrees of dermal and/or subcutaneous sclerosis. The infiltrate is typically composed of lymphocytes, macrophages and conspicuous plasma cells. The early stages of morphoea may have a very prominent inflammatory infiltrate associated with subtle sclerosis. In addition, the inflammatory infiltrate may show a perineural and rarely intraneural distribution. We report two cases of morphoea that histologically showed plasma cell endoneuritis associated with subtle dermal sclerosis. These two cases highlight the potential for diagnostic confusion with infectious and inflammatory diseases, particularly leprosy and lupus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatopathology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farquharson
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Howat
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatopathology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calonje
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*