Korean J Dermatol.
2014 May;52(5):333-336.
Subcutaneous Sarcoidosis in a Patient with Myasthenia Gravis
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
- 2Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea. hcko@pusan.ac.kr
Abstract
- Subcutaneous sarcoidosis is rare and presents as tender or painless nodules that mostly occur on the extremities. We report a 47-year-old female patient presenting with a 1-month history of multiple asymptomatic subcutaneous nodules on the extremities. The patient had a history of myasthenia gravis for 5 years. Histopathological findings from the subcutaneous nodules showed non-caseating granulomas compatible with sarcoidosis. On inspection for internal involvement, pulmonary sarcoidosis was also detected by chest computed tomography, bronchoalveolar lavage, and transbronchial lung biopsy. The concurrence of sarcoidosis and myasthenia gravis is rare and has not been reported in the Korean literature. It may be supposed that the concurrence of these 2 separate entities is coincidental, but it has been reported that myasthenia gravis with specific antibodies is associated with sarcoidosis. This suggests that a common immunopathogenic mechanism may exist between these 2 diseases.
