Acral purpura as leading clinical manifestation of dermatitis herpetiformis: report of two adult cases with a review of the literature

Dermatology. 2013;227(1):1-4. doi: 10.1159/000347108. Epub 2013 Aug 21.

Abstract

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is an autoimmune disease that clinically manifests as pruritic vesicles and papules. The diagnosis of DH is often challenging because of its wide spectrum of clinical presentations. We here report 2 patients with DH in whom finger petechiae represented the initial and leading manifestation of the disease, and the confirmed diagnosis critically relied on immunopathological studies. Therefore, besides the classic causes, clinicians should also consider DH in the differential diagnosis of acral purpura, even in patients only presenting with discrete acral petechial lesions. We also review the recent literature regarding the rare cases of petechiae in adult DH patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arm
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Biopsy
  • Celiac Disease / complications*
  • Celiac Disease / diagnosis
  • Celiac Disease / diet therapy
  • Dermatitis Herpetiformis / complications*
  • Dermatitis Herpetiformis / diagnosis*
  • Diet, Gluten-Free
  • Fingers
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Gliadin / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin A / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2
  • Purpura / etiology*
  • Skin / chemistry
  • Skin / pathology*
  • Transglutaminases / immunology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Gliadin
  • Protein Glutamine gamma Glutamyltransferase 2
  • Transglutaminases
  • GTP-Binding Proteins