[Pyodermatitis-pyostomatitis vegetans with nasal involvement].

BACKGROUND: Pyodermatitis-pyostomatitis vegetans (PPV) is a rare chronic disorder often associated with inflammatory bowel disease. We report an isolated case involving the oral, labial and nasal mucosa.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 28-year-old man, in good general condition, presented with a 2-year history of painless stomatitis. The physical examination revealed pustular and exophytic lesions of the jugal, gingival and palatine mucosa on an erythematous background, as well as some pustular and crusted lesions of the lower lip and nostrils. Histopathological analysis revealed epithelial hyperplasia and a suprabasal cleft with some signs of acantholysis and numerous neutrophils and eosinophils. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence assay was negative. There was no associated bowel disease. We concluded on a diagnosis of PPV of younger subjects. The lesions disappeared with oral corticosteroids but with steroid dependency.

DISCUSSION: PPV is a rare dermatosis associated in more than 75% of cases with inflammatory bowel disease, usually ulcerative colitis. Lesions of the oral mucosa are a constant finding and are characterised by aseptic pustules on an erythematous background. Skin lesions are pustular and more or less exophytic. To our knowledge, there have been no reports to date of intranasal lesions of PPV.