Concurrent Post-Zoster Cutaneous Vasculitis and Acute Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease (CPPD) in an Elderly Patient: A Case Report

Cureus. 2024 Oct 16;16(10):e71614. doi: 10.7759/cureus.71614. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) can lead to rare complications such as cutaneous vasculitis. We present a unique case of post-zoster cutaneous vasculitis in an 82-year-old male, occurring alongside acute calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), a previously undocumented association. The patient initially presented with a painful zoster rash and hand swelling, treated with oral acyclovir. Persistent swelling led to a diagnosis of CPPD in the wrist, managed with prednisone and colchicine. A biopsy of purplish discoloration at the zoster site confirmed vasculitis, which resolved after treatment. This case underscores the importance of recognizing post-zoster vasculitis, even in immunocompetent individuals, and suggests a potential link with CPPD that warrants further investigation.

Keywords: acute calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease; infection; vasculitis; vzv vasculopathy; zoster.

Publication types

  • Case Reports