Lymphocytes and necrosis of the cutaneous microvasculature in malignant atrophic papulosis: a refined light microscope study.

[malignant atrophic papulosis]

Malignant atrophic papulosis is a disease characterized by multiple distinctive cutaneous and often lethal visceral infarctions . In some individuals , the diagnosis is not made until the skin manifestations are noted in a seriously ill patient with gastrointestinal and /or central nervous system disease . In other individuals , the disorder may pursue a benign course with only skin manifestations for many years . Using refined light microscopy to examine the skin lesions , the extensive nature of the necrotic microvascular alterations , a predominant lymphocytic infiltrate , and neural changes are documented . These findings suggest that the cutaneous lesions of malignant atrophic papulosis may result from a lymphocyte-mediated necrotizing vasculitis that affects the entire cutaneous microvasculature .