TWO CASES OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS ASSOCIATED WITH PYODERMA GANGRENOSUM

Abstract

Pyoderma gangrenosum is relatively rare non-infectious skin disease which is often associated with ulcerative colitis. We here report two cases of ulcerative colitis associated with pyoderma gangrenosum.
Case 1: A 37-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because of fever and nodulus in the face and right leg. At the same time, diarrhea and anal bleeding occurred. Laboratory examination revealed leucocytosis and positive C-reactive protein. X-ray and endoscopic examination revealed left sided ulcerative colitis. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen from the nodule in the face showed pyoderma gangrenosum.
Case 2: A 40-yer-old woman who had a long standing ulcerative colitis was seen at the hospital because of diarrhea and anal bleeding. Her condition of the colon worsened. At the same time, she noticed an ulcered nodule of the right leg. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen from the nodule of the leg showed pyoderma gangrenosum. She was diagnosed as exacerbation of ulcerative colitis and pyoderma gangrenosum, and was successfully treated by prednisolon, 20mg per rectum and 40mg intravenously.
In these cases pyoderma gangrenosum appeared when ulcerative colitis was exacerbated, that might greatly contribute to the courses of both disease as well as to responses to treatments. Careful treatments are needed because ulcerative colitis is essentially a benign disease.